De Slimste Mens, one of the biggest ratings hits of Dutch television, is leaving NPO 2. After ten years, the daily quiz will have a place on the flagship of the public broadcaster: NPO 1.
NPO 1 is on average the most watched TV channel in the Netherlands, but when De Slimste Mens is on, most people switch to NPO 2. That is of course not the intention, because NPO 1 is the flagship of the public broadcaster. After ten years it was decided to move Philip Freriks and Maarten van Rossem.
smartest moves
Philip and Maarten are given a place in the programming of NPO 1, so that NPO 2 can become even more the channel for deepening, imagination and culture. According to NPO’s TV boss Frans Klein, it is a nice bonus that De Slimste Mens also takes many relatively young viewers to the main network.
French against NU.nl: “Yes, De Slimste Mens also attracts younger viewers, despite the two senior presenters. I am then asked whether this is the renewal and rejuvenation that public broadcasting should strive for. But the public ultimately goes for authenticity, as with De Slimste Mens.”
Credible
Frans hopes to park the older viewers mainly on NPO 2. That De Slimste Mens attracts many young viewers will surprise many people, but not Frans. “It’s not always about the young face, but above all whether you are credible.”
Incidentally, Keuringsdienst van Waarde is also moving to NPO 1. That program can still be seen on the much smaller NPO 3. “We do that because we want to sharpen that young profile.”
The Kassa, Radar and Opsporing Verzocht programs are moving from NPO 1 to NPO 2.
