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 ...