Most of the time I see it appearing in listicle headlines like "15 Shocking Things JB Did This Morning" with a subhead like "It took me a minute to understand #11" or "You won't believe #5" and then when you've read them all #11 and #5 were just as bland as all the rest.
http://www.newyorker.com/tech/elements/a-list-of-reasons-why-our-brains-love-lists Given the psychological pull they've already got on the numerical side, couldn't they at least be a bit more creative in their adjectives?

I'm sure it's a hand-me-down effect of the tabloid journalism of the 80's/90's with shows like CURRENT AFFAIR that have ruined everything since.... 　

Reminds me of another pet peeve that I think you mentioned ages ago: reporters asking people after a major event, "So how does it feel having done X?" Remind me of your five favorite alternate questions. I don't remember them all at the moment.