I still think the WTS is making money on the mags, but they have a profit margin that
they have to watch. They are trying to increase the margin by reducing the total
number of materials they have to produce. Here's my theory of what they are thinking:
Reducing production of tapes or CD's or whatever audio medium will further reduce costs.
The JW's that don't have computers are so rare now. Most will have no problem with this
provision, and they will see value in actually going to a WT website. The equipment to
produce "hard" copies of audio mags will not be replaced as it wears out. Eventually, all
will either get the download or nothing at all.
I don't know the details as I haven't gone there, but don't you have to register or sign in
somehow? This will also allow them to have email addresses and some information on
who is receiving the downloads. It will allow them to spread that information and "count"
that distribution somehow. They are obsessed with "counting" placements and growth.
They also know that the average person will not want this download, only JW's. That
means that it won't effect magazine placements. Plus, once every congregation is used
to this provision, they can introduce the "members only" print magazine to the download
crowd, as proclaimed already here. They can stop printing it altogether and pass the
cost of producing it on to the congregations or the members, and still "count" it.
Edited to add: If there is no more profit in distributing magazines, they will abandon the
public editions and offer tracts and left-over literature, then just tracts. It will happen eventually.