# Het Sinterklaasjournaal

Het Sinterklaasjournaal is a Dutch children's television series that has been broadcast every year since 2001 during the Sinterklaas period. The program is a fictional, children news program, in which the adventures of Sinterklaas and his Petes during their stay in the Netherlands are told. The program has been broadcast on the children's channel NPO Zapp since 2001.

## History
### Origin

In the summer of 2001, Ajé Boschhuizen, who was the editor-in-chief of the Dutch version of Sesame Street, came up with a new children's program for the Sinterklaas period. The format of the program was a fictional news program, in which the adventures of Sinterklaas and his helpers during their stay in the Netherlands are reported every day. Boschhuizen's idea was found to be very interesting and was later approved to produce the program. The public broadcasters KRO, NPS, TROS, Teleac/NOT and VPRO then decided to jointly produce the program.
On November 14, 2001, the first broadcast of Het Sinterklaasjournaal was broadcast. Later, it was decided to have the program return annually. However, the broadcasters KRO, TROS, Teleac/NOT and VPRO dropped out, making the NPS the sole producer of the program. Later, the NPS, together with the broadcasters Teleac and RVU, merged into the broadcaster NTR, which has been producing the program since 2010.

### Black Pete discussion

The program was in dire straits from 2014 to 2019. This was due to the heated debate in the Netherlands about the figure of Black Pete. The program was often the target during the debate, because the program still contained Black Petes. In 2014, the program began the process of gradually changing Black Pete to Chimney Pete, the alternative to Black Pete (in the original Sinterklaas legend as it is told in the Netherlands, Pete's black colour comes from the soot of a chimney he has to climb through to deliver presents). As a result, in addition to Black Petes, Het Sinterklaasjournaal in 2014 also contained differently colored Petes. From 2017 to 2018, the children's program featured both Black Petes and Chimney Petes. Since 2019, Black Pete has completely disappeared from the program and only Chimney Petes are still in it.
The debate hit the program hard. For example, Dutch actor Erik van Muiswinkel, who played the role of Hoofdpiet in the program, decided to leave the program because, according to him, ‘‘the NTR did not want any other kind of Pete’’. Dolores Leeuwin, a woman of colour who played the role of reporter in the program, also left the program. Presenter Dieuwertje Blok, who has been presenting the program since the first season, spoke out against Black Pete in an interview with the Dutch newspaper Trouw. After this, it became unclear whether Dieuwertje Blok would also leave the program. In the end, Blok remained the presenter of Het Sinterklaasjournaal.

### Present

In 2020, Het Sinterklaasjournaal has received a lot of positive reviews. During the corona pandemic, national events were not allowed to be organized. The program then managed to creatively continue the national arrival of Sinterklaas by recording the arrival in advance and receiving Sinterklaas in the fictional town of Zwalk.
In later editions, the program received positive reactions because of their references to current affairs. For example, in 2021, the character Luisterpiet was given a 'function elsewhere', referring to the Dutch cabinet formation of 2021. In 2022, the Petes had the Dutch flag upside down, referring to the Dutch farmers' protests.
In 2024, it was announced that presenter Dieuwertje Blok would temporarily disappear from public view because her nose had to be amputated due to skin cancer. As a result, she was unable to present the 24th season of Het Sinterklaasjournaal. In 2024, Merel Westrik would therefore temporarily present the program. Later the cancer returned, and as a result Dieuwertje Blok died March 2nd, 2025.

## Format

Het Sinterklaasjournaal starts five days before the national arrival of Sinterklaas which is usually mid-November. In the first week, the town of arrival plays a central role in the storyline. In the days that follow, there will be a daily report on what Sinterklaas is adventures in the Netherlands. A weekly overview will be broadcast every Sunday. The last broadcast is the day before 'Pakjesavond', the birthday of Sinterklaas.
Each season of Het Sinterklaasjournaal the storylines are usually full of problems and setbacks for the Petes, Sinterklaas himself or for all Dutch children.. For example, sometimes all the children's wish lists have disappeared, Sinterklaas' horse is missing or there is not enough candy for the children. Fortunately, at the end of each season, everything turns out fine and the Sinterklaas celebration can still go ahead.
The program contains the following sections: Each episode covers three main topics. It is often about the big news of the day. Then the short news is covered, and finally the program ends with the 'Pete Weather Report', to tell Sinterklaas' Petes what the weather will be like when they go up on the roofs at night to deliver presents through the chimney.

### Cast

Overview of the current cast of Het Sinterklaasjournaal:
Presentation and reporting :
| Name | Role | Period |
| Merel Westrik | Presenter | 2024 |
| Dieuwertje Blok | Presenter | 2001-2023 |
| Jeroen Kramer | Reporter | 2005 – present |
| Rachel Rosier | Reporter | 2019 – present |
| Sinterklaas and his Petes |||
| Actor | Role | Period |
| Stefan de Walle | Sinterklaas | 2011 – present |
| Niels van der Laan | Hoofdpiet | 2018 – present |
| Dick van den Toorn | Wellespiet | 2001 – present |
| Marc Nochem | Boekpiet | 2004 – present |
| Pim Muda | Reservepiet | 2017 – present |
| John Jones | Vergeetpiet | 2010 – present |
| Owen Schumacher | Malle Pietje | 2017 – present |
| Leon van der Zanden | Proefpiet | 2023 – present |
| Mingus Dagelet | Verdwaalpiet | 2018 – present |
| Han Oldigs | Piet de Smeerpoets | 2019 – present |
| Jeroen Spitzenberger | Rijmpiet | 2020 – present |
| Rosa da Silva | Chocopiet | 2023 – present |

## Film

In 2009, the film Het Sinterklaasjournaal: De Meezing Moevie premiered. The cinema film is based on Het Sinterklaasjournaal. In the film, Sinterklaas and his Petes are on their way to the Netherlands, but get caught in a storm. As a result, they no longer know where the Netherlands is and which way to sail. In the film, the audience is called upon to help Sinterklaas by singing Sinterklaas songs. The lyrics are shown on screen for this purpose. By singing along to the songs, Sinterklaas and the helpers manage to reach the Netherlands.

### Cast

Overview of the cast of Het Sinterklaasjournaal: De Meezing Moevie:
| Actor | Role |
| Bram van der Vlugt | Sinterklaas |
| Erik van Muiswinkel | Hoofdpiet |
| Maarten Wansink | Huispiet |
| Dick van den Toorn | Wellespiet |
| Rob Kamphues | Rare Piet |
| Bob Fosko | Pietje Precies |
| Peter Lusse | Ballonnenpiet |
| Anne Rats | Paardenpiet Glenn |
| Dieuwertje Blok | Presenter |
| Jeroen Kramer | Reporter |
| Viggo Waas | Chimney sweep |
| Peter Heerschop | Resident of house with chimney |
| Dries Roelvink | Construction worker |
| Dick Lam | Titus Tillema |
| Ferry de Groot | Willem Grol |
| Stefan de Walle | Jan Boerefluitjes |
| Bas Hoeflaak | POD Klaas |
| Peter van de Witte | POD Piet |
| François Boulangé | Baker Boulanger |
| Kees Driehuis | Voiceover |

## Commotion

In 2006, there was a stir about the program, because in addition to Black Petes, the broadcasts also featured other coloured Petes. In the program, the steamboat sailed through a rainbow, which meant that half of the Petes were of a different colour. Many people reacted angrily to the coloured Petes. A year later, only Black Petes were still visible.
In 2015, complaints were received following the first broadcast of Het Sinterklaasjournaal that year. The first episode reported on the city of Meppel, the place where Sinterklaas arrived that year. The report featured the character city historian 'Kort van Memorie' who talked about the Drenthe folk legend 'Witte Wieven'. After the broadcast, many parents complained that the program frightens children. Many reformed Christian schools also decided to stop broadcasting the program, because the schools considered the storyline to be 'witchcraft'.
In the same year, the broadcaster NTR was fined by the Commissariat for the Media, the government agency that supervises media law, because the program advertised its own Sinterklaasjournaal wrapping paper in 2013. In the Netherlands, it is not permitted to advertise on public broadcasting. Broadcaster NTR had to pay the fine of 150,000 euros, because the wrapping paper was regularly seen in the broadcasts.
In 2020, Sinterklaas would arrive in a place called “Kruisigem”, which was interpreted as a corruption of ‘'kruisig hem” (English: crucify him), the cry that, according to the Bible, was shouted at the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. This was found offensive by many Christians, after which broadcaster NTR responded that it was not the intention for people to be hurt by this.
In 2022, parents complained after a broadcast of the program in which Sinterklaas' steamboat had sunk. This led to great shock among the children who watched the episode. The broadcaster then posted a message in which they promised to “trust that Sinterklaas will find a solution to all problems this time too”. This turned out to be a private plane, with which Sinterklaas flew to the Netherlands with the packages and his Petes. At the airport, he was offered a replacement boat with which he could continue the journey to Hellevoetsluis, the place where the arrival was held that year. Later, there was criticism because Sinterklaas came by plane and therefore 'did not travel climate-neutrally'. Broadcaster NTR later responded that ”not a drop of kerosene” was used in Sinterklaas' plane.

## Prizes

In 2013, Het Sinterklaasjournaal won the Gouden Stuiver, the award for the best children's program. In 2021, Het Sinterklaasjournaal won the Ere Zilveren Nipkowschijf. In 2022, the program won the Zapp Award for favorite children's program.