Kim Dotcom
MediaWorks has cancelled an advertising campaign for
internet millionaire Kim Dotcom's new business, Mega, which is
due to be launched on Sunday.
The new online data storage facility, a successor to the
defunct Megaupload, promises to be an online haven for
internet users, which he has previously said will be "powered
by legality and protected by the law".
On Twitter today, Dotcom said MediaWorks had cancelled a
radio advertising campaign which had been booked prior to the
launch.
"Apparently some music labels complained to MediaWorks about
our radio ads. Booking of over 500 ad plays terminated.
Wow!!!
"Not blaming MediaWorks. They are a great company with great
people. It's the music labels that are abusing their power,
again."
Dotcom appealed to non-MediaWorks radio stations to play the
advertisements instead.
A MediaWorks spokeswoman confirmed the campaign had been
pulled.
"For commercial reasons we are not playing the Kim Dotcom
advert."
She would not provide further information about why it had
been canned.
"When it comes to details of relationships with all of our
clients, including Mr Dotcom, we keep those arrangements
pretty confidential."
She said pulling an advertising campaign was a "unique
situation" for MediaWorks.
Dotcom and colleagues Finn Batato, Mathias Ortman and Bram
van der Kolk were arrested and charged with criminal
copyright violation and jailed following a high-profile raid
on his mansion north of Auckland about a year ago.
Dotcom previously told the Weekend Herald of the new
business: "If I win my case and Mega becomes a powerful
business that creates thousands of jobs, I get involved in
start ups and have contributed to the economy - then I want
to be New Zealander of the year."
A preview to the Mega site gives this explanation as to its
function: "In the past, securely storing and transferring
confidential information required the installation of
dedicated software. The new Mega encrypts and decrypts your
data transparently in your browser, on the fly. You hold the
keys to what you store in the cloud, not us."
- Matthew Theunissen of APNZ
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