Do we really need all the definite articles?

Why do radio news reports preface so many offices with a the?

The Prime Minsiter John Key said . . . , the leader of the opposition Phil Goff went . . . , the All Black captain Richie McCaw played  . . .

I’m not sure if it’s something new, or if I’ve just started noticing it, but nothing would be lost from the sense of the sentences if they started without a definite article.