This type of sad news just keeps on happening, it seems…

FishbowlDC has learned that the New York Daily News today announced a voluntary buyout program to staffers. They gathered reporters in the newsroom up in New York and the various bureaus (including D.C.’s five-man shop) learned of the news via conference call).

Read more after the jump…

The package will offer reporters two weeks of pay for every year served (reporters max out at 52 weeks of buyout pay) and six months of health care. Ultimately, the paper is looking to trim 25 bodies from the newsroom.

How this will affect the paper’s DC bureau is unclear, but this could provide a hint: Competitor The New York Post thinks that just three reporters is enough for its DC bureau.

The announcement took staffers by surprise, especially considering that many just recently received pay raises.

Also announced: The paper is buying a brand new, state of the art, full color press, which will begin sometime next year.