[Talisker]

News used to start with two things - date and place.

How the heck did these basics vanish?

You want to talk about a dumbing down conspiracy, thereyago.

[grania]

Who, what, where, when.....

Used to be, even a HS newspaper article wouldn't be published without the "4 Ws" in the first paragraph.

[plain talk]

News used to start with two things - date and place. How the heck did these basics vanish?

I agree. If the article does not contain that info the OP should describe where it is to save multiple FReepers having to look it up.