Kim Dotcom Ads Pulled

Internet entrepreneur Kim Dotcom lashed out at record companies, blaming them for television and radio network MediaWorks pulling 500 ads for the Jan. 20 launch of his file-storage and file-sharing Mega site.

The ads aired on eight radio stations before being pulled.  A MediaWorks rep cited “commercial reasons.”
Labels advertise heavily on MediaWorks’ TV3 channel, especially on the “X-Factor” NZ series.

Dotcom tweeted, “Not blaming Mediaworks. They are a great company with great people. It’s the music labels that are abusing their power, again.”

Despite the cancellations, Dotcom claimed that the mega.co.nz site may be the fastest growing startup in history.

He said 100,000 signed on in the first hour. He later tweeted, “Massive demand. Incredible. 250,000 user registrations. Server capacity on maximum load. Should get better when initial frenzy is over. Wow!!!”

Dotcom timed the launch to coincide with the first anniversary of the raid on his home by New Zealand authorities.

His extradition hearing to the United States will be heard in August. Authorities claim that his earlier site, Megaupload, netted $146 million in “criminal proceeds” and cost copyright owners $418 million by selling illegal music, movie and software content.