“In the first phase of job cuts” at NBC News, “about 40 employees are expected to be given pink slips by Wednesday,” Matea Gold reports.

Dateline is “slated to field the most cuts” (17 last Friday) “but staffers are also being laid off from morning powerhouse Today and, to a lesser extent, the top-ranked NBC Nightly News.”

A network exec says “I don’t think it’s about proportionate cuts at each show, but rather what can be cut without damaging the product…”