At a meeting in NBC News' DC bureau today, bureau chief Mark Whitaker made a renewed plea to staffers to take the network's buyout package, sources tell FishbowlDC.

The buyout offer has been an option for a while now, as part of NBC Universal's plan to trim $500 million from its budget, but, here in DC, few employees have taken it.

Whitaker told staffers that, if anyone's thinking of retiring, to please reconsider taking the buyout package. Staffers have one week to decide. As often happens in these staff-trimming situations, layoffs will likely occur if NBC does not reach its target cuts via the buyout program.