What is an icon anyway?

Mike Hegedus is not happy with the Jackson coverage of the other side of the Atlantic

It's rare that television moves me to take action but it did while I was watching the ABC and NBC "specials" on the death of Michael Jackson. They moved me to take a shower. Made your skin crawl at more than just a few levels didn't it?
First, strictly as pieces of television, the production values were terrible. Doesn't an "icon" deserve better? Secondly, what is an "icon" anyway and who makes that editorial judgement? Is Michael Jackson an "icon" now? Or is he a piece of strange musical and pop culture history to anyone under say 50? Think about that for a second.