Something else on titles. The 'Guardian' (to which, following the sad demise of the 'Independent', I have recently returned) seems to have abandoned their use altogether and to use just surnames, irrespective of status or gender. In the lower middle class culture in which I was brought up, to refer to a male person by just his surname (unless he was a schoolboy, a footballer or a convict) was thought extremely rude. To refer to a lady her surname only was unthinkable. I remember the shock I felt when I first heard a colleague refer to the Prime Minister as 'Thatcher'.
It can also make news stories very difficult to follow. For example in the report of a trial I find myself constantly having to look back to check whether 'Bloggs' is Mr Justice Bloggs, Sir Toby Bloggs QC, the prosecuting counsel, Miss Myfanwy Bloggs, the victim or Jasper Bloggs, of no fixed abode, the accused.