Credentialing Bloggers

The Los Angeles Police Department may be giving bloggers from BlogHer.com a hard time in getting “media credentials” that they can use to get access to the GOP debate.

That’s awkwardly phrased, I know, because it’s not clear if they are blocking them from getting credentials or if they’re putting them through the standard background check procedure or if they LAPD just doesn’t have a procedure for online media.

Thoughts? Are bloggers “journalists?” How can you tell? If they are, do all bloggers get treated the same? Do bloggers associated with a “traditional” media outlet get treated differently? And why do we even let any government agency think that they can decide who is and who is not a journalist?

This, of course, comes on the heels of Gizmodo pulling a prank at CES just after they started allowing bloggers in …

Would the AP or LA Times ever do that? Do the professional norms of “traditional” journalists set them above (or aside) “blogging journalists?”

I’m glad I don’t have to credential anyone …