«Can’t you read newspapers with Safari? Why special newspaper apps?»

The newspaper I read every day is mainly readable with Safari, but with lots of advertising, and many things are missing. So I changed my paper subscription to an iPad/iPhone (and Mac) subscription. No advertising, and the whole newspaper. 
For other newspapers, I read them on the iPad only if the come free, most of them are precisely as my usual newspaper: the app is just the envelope - to read the paper you have to pay.
The real advantage is the fact that with the iPad you can read everywhere.
It's the same with the iPhone, for me at least.
But you are right, one does not need an iPad to read the newspapers.
Cheers.