One reason content can look good in a tablet is that it's designed with UX in mind. Print design has always favored maximizing the content per page over actual usability.
seconded. worldwide distribution at midnight thursday. the economist is excellent (nb didn't translate the UX to the the sister pub Intelligent Life - good articles but doesn't behave as expected)
Go try the Economist app and then come back and try to make the same argument. I hardly read my print copies anymore.