Engaging all audiences with a live-focused content experience

NOS aims to be the Netherlands’ primary information source for news, sports, and events. Live television is one of its strongest assets, sparking daily conversations and fostering a shared sense of community.

While many live viewers already relied on NOS’s linear programming and mobile app, a major opportunity remained: reaching audiences on their smart home devices. CBS research shows that 63% of the Dutch population over 12 uses a smart TV, with an additional 17% using methods to make their TV smart.

NOS’s own data showed that the longer a livestream runs, the more viewers prefer watching on a big screen. This insight led them to explore ways to enhance the NOS Live experience for TV audiences. NOS turned to us to help reach and captivate this audience, and together, we renewed the NOS Live app.

Catering to the latest news

The updated NOS Live app makes streaming on connected devices smoother and easier. It starts as soon as you open the app. A new feature automatically plays live streams in full-screen if the remote sits idle for a few seconds. This feature was designed to emphasize NOS’s role as a news broadcaster, delivering the latest stories as they happen and keeping users informed.

When no live stream is available, the app pulls in the latest broadcasts from the user's favorite categories and ties them together. Viewers dive into a unique experience that revolves entirely around live broadcasts and the latest content.

Enhanced viewing experience

Nothing’s worse than missing key moments during a live event—whether you joined a game late or stepped away just before a breaking news announcement. With NOS Live, viewers can easily replay those critical moments. A symbol in the livestream marks each highlight; simply click it to jump straight to the action and then seamlessly return to the live feed. Joining a soccer match in the 40th minute and it’s already 3-0? Instantly catch up on the goals within the stream and continue watching from minute 41. No endless browsing or massive archives—just quick access to the moments that matter, exactly when the viewer wants it.

The moments feature not only enhances the viewer experience but also offers NOS’s editorial teams remarkable flexibility. Highlights can be created manually or automatically through data feeds, making it adaptable to any situation.

NOS Live features a clear program overview and an info button, allowing viewers easy access to match start times and details on home-county athletes. On an Olympic athletics night, for example, they’re just a tap away from finding the exact start time of each event and the athletes representing their country. Catching the action as it unfolds.

Scaling streaming success

As live sports streaming continues to evolve, its importance is growing rapidly. NOS reports that streaming already accounts for 40% of their Sunday afternoon viewership during simultaneous live sports events, with streaming viewership increasing by 20-25% year over year.

From a technical perspective, the development of the connected TV app underscores the collaborative synergy between Hypersolid and NOS. By integrating with the existing NPO backend, we delivered a fast, cross-platform rollout without the need for a new infrastructure—a clear example of the composable solutions Hypersolid often advocates.