Have I ever mentioned how much I love the Onion?
http://www.theonion.com/articles/the-economist-to-halt-production-for-month-to-let,20090/
LONDON—World-renowned news and opinion magazine The Economist announced plans to suspend any new online and print content for the next month in an effort to finally allow subscribers a chance to catch up.
It is only a different way to save some money. I doubt that that they will put staff on gardening leave, instead of unpaid one.
But to be perfectly honest I do not see a need in paper Economist at all.