Mediagazer: The Skimm launches a one-to-one texting service for subscribers, with editorial team answering questions on specific topics within a time window (Christine Schmidt/Nieman Lab)

Committee to Protect Journalists expresses relief Arkady Babchenko is alive, calls on Ukrainian officials to say why they used extreme tactic of staging murder — Russian journalist Arkady Babchenko, who had been reported shot and killed in the Ukrainian capital yesterday, has appeared alive at a televised news conference in Kiev.

Discussion: Associated Press, The Guardian, VICE News, Boing Boing and The Seattle Times

Reporters Without Borders:

Reporters Without Borders condemns faking of Babchenko's murder: “It was distressing and regrettable that the Security Service of Ukraine played with the truth” — Organisation — RSF_en — Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns the distressing simulation …

Discussion: Committee to Protect …, @miriamelder, @johnmcquaid, Mediaite, @christopherjm, @jcstearns, The Daily Beast, Bustle and Slate

BBC:

Russian journalist Arkady Babchenko, widely reported to have been assassinated in Kiev on Tuesday, appeared at a Ukrainian press conference on Wednesday — Russian journalist Arkady Babchenko, widely reported to have been assassinated in Kiev on Tuesday, is alive and well.

Joshua Benton / Nieman Lab:

Meeker's annual chart comparing time spent and ad spending shows rapid drop in print ads and continued mobile growth, nearing the time and money spent on TV — Since 2011, the share of Americans' media consumption that happens in print has dropped about 40 percent.

Discussion: Recode, Recode, The Drum, @recode, 9to5Mac and @jbenton, more at Techmeme »

Todd Spangler / Variety:

Hulu CEO says its internet pay-TV service Hulu With Live TV has signed up 800K subscribers since its launch over a year ago — Hulu, in a little over a year since launching its $40 monthly internet-streaming “skinny bundle,” has signed up 800,000 customers for the service, according to CEO Randy Freer.

Discussion: Hollywood Reporter, Engadget and Deadline, more at Techmeme »

Discussion: TechCrunch, Multichannel News, MediaPost, CNBC, Los Angeles Times, Recode, Fortune, Business Insider, Ad Age, MacRumors, FierceCable, @hadas_gold, Decider, Broadcasting & Cable, The Wrap and @refsrc, more at Techmeme »

Mark Sweney / The Guardian:

Martin Sorrell has purchased a 75% stake in Derriston Capital, to be renamed S4 Capital, with the aim of building a next-generation WPP — Former boss of world's biggest advertising group reveals he is already in takeover talks — Sir Martin Sorrell has revealed he is in takeover talks …

Discussion: Sky News, Wall Street Journal, Fortune and Ad Age

Christine Schmidt / Nieman Lab:

The Skimm launches a one-to-one texting service for subscribers, with editorial team answering questions on specific topics within a time window — “People are always on their phones, but this isn't 'Let's just start shooting them info over text.' When you integrate into somebody's routine …

Discussion: @getprpl, @laurahazardowen, @ryanvailbrown and @mattervc

James Cusick / openDemocracy:

Sources: London Evening Standard strikes a £3M deal with six companies including Uber and Google that erases divide between news and advertising — London's Evening Standard newspaper, edited by the former chancellor George Osborne, has agreed a £3 million deal …

Discussion: @maryftz, @adambienkov, The Drum, @glennmoore7, @donie, @amandakhurley, @jamesrbuk, @dtraynier, @raju, @markpaultimes, @benjaminramm, @g_n_ramsay, @ryanvailbrown, @feargusosull, @morganhphillips and @etansmallman

Lucas Matney / TechCrunch:

Oculus rolls out Oculus Venues, its platform for watching live sporting events, concerts, and other media in VR, with partners including Lionsgate and MLB — Oculus wants VR to bring its users into magical worlds dreamed up by game developers, but the company also needs people to see the headset …

Discussion: Variety, VentureBeat and Fortune, more at Techmeme »

Brent Lang / Variety:

MoviePass parent company CEO says it has acquired the exclusive option to purchase production company Emmett Furla Oasis Films — Helios and Matheson Analytics, the parent company of MoviePass, has acquired the exclusive option to buy Emmett Furla Oasis Films, the producers of “Lone Survivor” and “End of Watch,” Variety has learned.

Discussion: The Playlist, TechCrunch and /Film

Justin Rowlatt / BBC:

Publishers in India give scant coverage to Cobrapost claims that outlets were willing to skew news for pay; Times of India says it was operating “reverse sting” — It is a potential scandal that claims to strike at a key pillar of Indian democracy - the freedom of the press …

Discussion: Jacob Plammoottil Jacob, Times of India and Scroll.in

Hadas Gold / CNNMoney:

Univision formally names Vincent Sadusky to succeed Randy Falco as chief executive officer; Sadusky starts on Friday — Univision Communications Inc. announced on Wednesday that Vincent Sadusky will be its next chief executive officer, taking over the Spanish-language media giant as it grapples with difficult times.

Discussion: Variety, Financial Times and Broadcasting & Cable

Tim Ingham / Music Business Worldwide:

Sources: Apple launches an internal unit focused on global music publishing and names iTunes veteran Elena Segal as its director — Apple has launched a new internal division dedicated to music publishing, MBW understands, led by respected exec Elena Segal.

Discussion: Fast Company, Billboard, Rolling Stone, MacRumors, Engadget, 9to5Mac and RAIN News