Telegraph report claiming Guardian is mulling end to print edition is ‘simply untrue’, says Rusbridger

A Telegraph story claiming The Guardian was “seriously discussing” scrapping its print edition is “simply untrue”, according to the paper’s editor Alan Rusbridger.

A story on Telegraph.co.uk by the paper’s media, telecoms and technology editor Katherine Rushton said Rusbridger “wants to develop the Guardian’s digital-only US operation before pulling the plug on the print edition, in the hope that it will provide a useful blueprint for the online business in Britain”.

The reporte added that the paper's owners, the Scott Trust, “fear it does not have enough cash on its books to sustain the newspapers for that long”.

The Telegraph’s claims were themselves attributed to this article on More About Advertising, which is run by former Marketing Week editor Stephen Foster.

But Rusbridger took to Twitter this afternoon to rubbish the story. He tweeted:

Telegraph story abt the Guardian bit.ly/PBQSzq simply untrue. Largely copied from bit.ly/T0dGYZAlso untrue

— alan rusbridger (@arusbridger) October 17, 2012

Numbers for going digital only & junking print just don't add up. So Telegraph has written the opposite of the truth.

— alan rusbridger (@arusbridger) October 17, 2012

In a statement the company added: "There is no truth in reports that The Guardian intends to stop printing newspapers. Our newspapers generate three-quarters of our revenue and will remain the foundations of our organisation for many years to come.

"The management and executive of The Guardian and The Scott Trust Ltd have put in place a strategy that has enabled The Guardian to maintain its revenues and grow its audience to record levels. The Guardian is now the most read quality newspaper brand in Great Britain."

Last week we reported on how compulsory redundancies could be on the cards at the paper after it emerged that around 30 editorial staff had volunteered to go – with the publisher looking to cut between 70 and 100 jobs.

In July the company said it was aiming to slash editorial costs by around £7m, when it opened the voluntary redundancy programme for staff.

Earlier this year the company reported a 15 per cent rise in operating losses to £44.2m for the year to March 2012 and appealed for journalists willing to take voluntary redundancy.