The Houston Chronicle will cut 12 percent of its workforce, the Hearst Co.-owned paper's publisher and president, Jack Sweeney, announced Tuesday, the newspaper reported on its Web site, Chron.com. Editor Jeff Cohen explained that the newsroom will be restructured, losing about 90 staffers.

The Chronicle will offer employees affected by the layoff severance packages which include two weeks of pay for every one year of service up to one year's pay, as well as career transition services.

Hearst also owns the recently online-only Seattle Post-Intelligencer and the struggling San Francisco Chronicle.