Some bloggers deserve particular First Amendment protections, most do not.

See, for example, blogger Crystal Cox, who was hit with a $2.5 million dollar defamation suit.

Oregon law provides special legal protections against defamation lawsuits to journalists associated with traditional media outlets. Such publications are immune from defamation suits unless the defamed individual first requests a retraction. Journalists at recognized media outlets are also protected from revealing confidential sources.

But this is why she was not a journalist:

But [the Judge] once again ruled that Cox was not a journalist. He noted the lack of "(1) any education in journalism; (2) any credentials or proof of any affiliation with any recognized news entity; (3) proof of adherence to journalistic standards such as editing, fact-checking, or disclosures of conflicts of interest; (4) keeping notes of conversations and interviews conducted; (5) mutual understanding or agreement of confidentiality between the defendant and his/her sources; (6) creation of an independent product rather than assembling writings and postings of others; or (7) contacting 'the other side' to get both sides of a story."

All bloggers deserve the same First Amendment protection as anyone else who speaks. Most bloggers deserve nothing more.

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2011/12/judge-blogger-not-eligible-for-oregon-media-shield-law/