UVOtv Wins NAB Show 2026 Project of the Year
Las Vegas – April 22, 2026 — UVOtv has been named Project of the Year at the NAB Show 2026 Awards, one of the broadcast and media technology industry’s most recognised honours. The award was presented at the NAB Show in Las Vegas, the annual gathering that sets the agenda for global media and entertainment.
The 2026 award cited UVOtv’s free streaming platform with its 700+ live TV channels and on-demand content delivered to diaspora communities across the USA and Canada as a clear example of technology built around genuine audience need.
“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, CEO of UVOtv. ”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.”
The platform runs on infrastructure developed in partnership with Setplex, whose integrated video platform Zapflex powers UVOtv’s entire operation. At the core is Setplex’s proprietary AI ad-detection system that automatically identifies original ad breaks across UVOtv’s 700+ channel library and replaces them with localized North American inventory in real time.
This is what makes the model work: viewers enjoy free access to the channels they grew up with, broadcasters retain their reach, and advertisers gain relevant placement. Today, UVOtv serves more than 1.5 million monthly active viewers.
The Platform Behind the Award
UVOtv launched with diaspora communities across the United States and Canada in mind — people from Nigeria, India, the Arab world, Latin America, Ukraine, Ghana, Kenya, Pakistan, Nepal, and beyond — who want reliable access to the television and film content from their home regions.
UVOtv is free to use, available on iOS, Android, Roku, Apple TV, LGtv, and Amazon Fire TV, and open to a wide range of international broadcasters and independent rights holders. There are no subscription fees for viewers. Revenue is generated through advertising, which means rights holders earn from their content reaching audiences they would not otherwise have access to through mainstream SVOD channels.
The timing of the recognition is not accidental. Demand for international and diaspora-focused content is growing, and how it reaches its audience has become as much a commercial question as a cultural one.
Get Your Content in Front of the Right Audience
For broadcasters, TV rights owners, and independent filmmakers holding content relevant to diaspora communities, UVOtv offers a direct distribution channel with an engaged audience actively seeking this content, a free-to-air model with no upfront costs, and a revenue share structure tied to advertising performance.
UVOtv is actively expanding its content library across all regions it serves. If you hold rights to films, TV series, live channels, or other video content relevant to diaspora audiences in North America, become a channel partner.
If you’re an independent filmmaker or publisher — see what UVOtv offers creators.
For content and demand partnerships, licensing discussions, and channel distribution enquiries, contact the team directly at [email protected].
