Setplex Wins NAB Show Project of the Year for UVOtv Deployment

Setplex has been honored with the 2026 NAB Show Project of the Year Award in the Distribution category for its work with UVOtv. The project was celebrated for successfully launching a free, ad-supported platform that serves approximately 70 million diaspora members in North America, offering a legitimate alternative to piracy for viewers seeking content from their home countries. Utilizing Setplex’s Zapflex integrated video platform, UVOtv provides over 700 premium live channels from regions including Latin America, Africa, and the Arab World, effectively bridging the gap between international broadcasters and their relocated audiences.

The NAB Project of the Year Award is a premier industry honor, reserved for projects that fundamentally improve how media is delivered worldwide. UVOtv won the award for tackling a major gap in the market: providing a free, ad-supported home for North America’s 70 million diaspora members. The platform offers over 700 premium live channels from broadcasters across Latin America, Africa, the Arab World, India, Pakistan, Ukraine, and more, giving viewers a legitimate way to stay connected to their home countries while opening a new monetization channel for international broadcasters that have long struggled with piracy in the region.

“Winning the NAB Project of the Year Award recognizes what UVOtv stands for — bringing communities closer to the channels and stories that matter to them,” said Lionel Dreshaj, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Setplex. “We built UVOtv to serve diaspora audiences that have been overlooked by mainstream platforms and to give broadcasters a real, sustainable way to reach them in North America.”

Powered by Setplex’s integrated video platform Zapflex, UVOtv uses a proprietary AI ad-detection system to monetize its 700-plus channel library at scale — automatically detecting original ad breaks and replacing them with localized North American inventory in real time, at 98% accuracy. This is what turns global live content into a viable, ad-supported product for North American audiences: broadcasters retain their reach, advertisers gain relevant placement, and viewers enjoy free access to the channels they grew up with.

www.setplex.com