NBC News Expected to Offer Buyouts to “Virtually Everyone”

Following FishbowlDC’s story about the NBC News Washington bureau offering buyouts to employees, a TVNewser tipster tells us “virtually everyone” at NBC News is being offered a buyout in a process expected to begin today.

Insiders with knowledge of the situation tell TVNewser the dismal economy and bleak outlook for 2009 have lead to the decision to offer buyouts. Employees will have until the end of next week to accept. When asked whether layoffs could occur if enough employees do not accept the buyout, our insider says that would likely be the next step.

Details of the buyout packages are not known.

Create a social media strategy, launch your campaign, and track the results in our Social Media Marketing Boot Camp starting February 16. The online event and workshop will feature speakers including The Onion‘s Baratunde Thurston (left), Facebook’s Morin Oluwole, and bitly’s Tim Devane. Register now.