A letter from the Society to the Body of Elders:
Commencing January 1, 2009 the Congregation Book Study will be held at the same time as the Theocratic Ministry School and the Service Meeting. The name of the Congregation Book Study will be changed to the Congregation Bible Study. After a song and prayer the Congregation Bible Study will be conducted for 25 minutes in much the same way as it is conducted now. Qualified elders will conduct the study on a rotation basis. It will be followed by a 30 minute Theocratic Ministry School. After another song there will be a 35 minute Service Meeting. The three meetings will conclude with song and prayer. The total time for these three meetings including songs and prayers will be 1 hour and 45 minutes.
I notice they are trying to mask the vapidness of their study by calling it a Congregation Bible Study, which is no bible study at all. It will be studying Watchtower literature hence "will be conducted similar to the way it is now".
They also attribute this change to rising fuel costs. This full hour that will no longer be a burden to JW's from their weekly schedules and can be used for taking care of the family and reading their literature (or as they call it, Bible study).