In his op-ed piece today, NY Times columnist, Paul Krugman, quotes from the Wikipedia to define conspiracy theory:
A conspiracy theory, says Wikipedia, “attempts to explain the cause of an event as a secret, and often deceptive, plot by a covert alliance.”
This is the first time I’ve seen the Wikipedia used as an authoritative reference in the Times or any other major media outlet.
I spotted my local Fox News affiliate using images credited to Wikipedia for a story last week. I was simultaneously scandalized, heartened, and excited by the sighting.