This is probibly setting up for Apple and News Corps Daily Project where apple is moving away all of their paid newspapers and magazines away from itunes and the appstore and creating a new entity.
They are mainly doing this because you cannot setup reoccuring charges within itunes/appstore so they are setting up "The Daily" in order to rebill people who subscribe.
This is probibly why they are doing these draconian messasures with small publishers to gravitate them towards the new daily project.
There is an article about it here and why its delayed, it was orignally supposed to go live next wedesday.
http://goodereader.com/blog/tablet-s...ily-newsstand/