Letter to our readers announcing HoustonChronicle.com Houston Chronicle launches new premium website; chron.com to remain free

Dear readers,

This morning we are launching one of our most ambitious digital efforts to date: HoustonChronicle.com, a premium website available as part of your subscription package or for nonsubscribers as a separate purchase.

The new site is a complement to Chron.com, not a replacement. On Chron.com, you'll find information on breaking news, weather, traffic, pop culture and news-to-use, such as events listings and city guides. HoustonChronicle.com will offer deep analysis, enterprise reporting, exclusive photos, and the work of your favorite columnists in business, sports, education, city and state government, and arts and culture, plus everything found in your daily newspaper.

HoustonChronicle.com also will anchor our new membership program, Star Access. In addition to the premium website, Star Access offers members entry into unique experiences, exclusive events and special sweepstakes. You'll hear more about this in the weeks to come.

This expansion of our digital product suite is just the latest step in our quest to be the number one host of Houston's great conversations. Our goal is to bring you the information you seek each day in the format of your choice, be it print, on the Web, or via a tablet or mobile device.

I encourage you to visit HoustonChronicle.com today. To access the website, you'll need to activate your account. Log on to HoustonChronicle.com/activate to find out how. Not a subscriber? Sign up at HoustonChronicle.com/start. Then let us know your thoughts by emailing feedback@chron.com.

If you have any questions about the new HoustonChronicle.com, please visit www.houstonchronicle.com/faq.

As always, we thank you for your readership. We know you have a choice of sources for news and information, and we appreciate your trust in us.

Sincerely,

John T. O'Loughlin

President, Houston Chronicle Media Group