I think this is one of the problems with the WTBTS publications. The writers are totally annonymous. It would be interesting to know who wrote this particular article and if it was a young or old member of the writing team. Angle matters and even though the articles all need to be 'Passed' the writer can't help but leave some finger print in his article.
I suspect this is written by a younger member of the writing team that is perhaps not fully aware, naturally, of WTBTS history. I know most of my relatives have NO IDEA of the complete and accurate history of the WTBTS and its catalogue of failed predictions.