I see two compelling reasons right off the bat:
1. Financial - This one is a bit counterintuitive, as we all know the WTB$ is loaded. But if we could see real preaching stats by territory, I bet my ass that the most return visits are in the western/developed countries. WT will tell you that there is the greatest number of publishers and they are of course concerned with the survival of as many people as possible.
Bull$hit.
This is where the most donations are coming from. I can guarantee you that the moment a door gets slammed in their face by a non-believer is the moment a publisher mentally writes off that person. Yes they go back but not out of love; they have to keep up with FS hours and this is the territory the Borg has assigned to them. End of story. I've heard reliable stories where publishers "reserve" the nice homes of non-believers after field service for after the big-A.
So, are we saying that the millions/billions of people in developing or third world countries are les valuable or don't deserve to be visited repeatedly for their salvations sake? Of course not! They just don't have any money to donate. I think the whole charade with worldwide expansion is a tactic very similar to the lost leader tactic in sales. There is no doubt in my mind that the WT is at a loss (financially) in these places and only uses the membership there to feed the R&F in developed countries growth and success stories in order to guilt them into more slave labor and squeeze as much as they can out of them. The growth worldwide is composed of the expansion in unsuspecting (ehem NEW) lands and at the same time under minded by the deteriorating numbers in places sick of the WT 's crap. How long can this growth remain in the black? We'll see, I hope not too long ..
This can't sit well for too long with an increasingly informed, more educated, younger R&F flock. The constant shift of major doctrine and playing God with family and health issues will eventually get "Millions who live now, to leave the f#$% out and never come back". Which means less donations, more panic, tighter control for remaining members more aggravation for such and eventually a downward organizational tailspin.
2. Publishing Media - The WT's distinct MO is brainwashing (err.. preaching) through their own printed rags. But, we have a problem, Houston. Printed media is increasingly viewed as wasteful, harmful to the environment, slow, expensive and too cumbersome to produce. For as long as there are older generation publishers who pay for it, I guess the presses will roll. But eventually you'd have a hard time convincing a Gen X or Y person to buy a printed newspaper. True, classic books, like the bible and different aids will be OK for now, but the periodicals on paper are doomed.
And the boys in Brooklyn know it! BUT... they have a dilemma..
It would be fairly painless to switch to paperless periodicals. The public's sentiment not only internal to the Org but in general is receptive. Waive the Green (no pun intended) card in their face, make them feel good about "helping the environment" and they will take PDF over paper.
HOWEVER, the method of delivery is through the most dangerous of them mediums at all: THE INTERNET.
How do you keep one to strictly looking up/downloading your vomit and not looking at opposing views. Yes "Crisis of Conscience" in a paper copy can be dangerous too, but the ease, speed and sheer volume of information the internet afford is going to be devastating. Scare tactics and threats can go only so far.
I think Crooklyn is testing the waters for going hip (in the name of member retention and their own survival of course) and now trying set the ground rules for access.
Only time will show how right/wrong I am. Yet, I hope for the best .
Oh, and my rambling is neither Spirit Directed nor Inspired, take it for what is worth. Also, it constitutes is by no means a comprehensive list; please add or correct me as you see fit.
-KV