Gawker: valleywag, famesource.com

Indian signups no longer a dime a dozen

Paul Boutin — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 03:28:12 EST

"The funniest part of all this is ... not even a single sign-up!" — Famesource co-founders Allen Vartazarian and Anthony Zanontian, admitting maybe a little too much about their membership incentive program in Banglalore. As the pair complain at great and repeated length in the comments, Famesource's offer is fairly standard online marketing. So is their zero-percent success rate, and zero-percent retention of what it is they do.

Internet TV even dumber than the real thing

Paul Boutin — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 10:24:52 EST

In case you didn't watch the CNN.com interview Carlson posted with Famesource, the social network buying signups in Bangalore, all you really need to see is the title of the online-only show. And I never thought I'd say it, but: Button up, lady. This is CNN.

Meet the guys trying to buy users in India

Nicholas Carlson — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 23:25:40 EST

Famesource founders Allen Vartazarian and Anthony Zanontian are the wantrepreneurs behind the Craigslist ad offering to pay Indian workers 10 cents per signup to their site, a tipster tells us. Sure, it seems pretty scammy, but if Vartazarian and Zanontian are really buying users, we can hardly blame them. Investors today overvalue eyeballs, and tend not to question where they come from. And Famesource needs users for another reason: It promises to connect wannabe celebrities with an audience of worshippers. Never mind that the fans are being purchased in Bangalore for a dime apiece. So how's the scheme working for them?

Maybe it's time to up the bid? 12 cents, anyone? While you ponder which price is right, here's an interview with Famesource's Vartazarian:

And an ad for Famesource: