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.
