POWER OF ATTORNEY

                           ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K
                      OF ALLBRITTON COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY


         KNOW  ALL MEN BY  THESE  PRESENTS,  that the  undersigned  director  or
officer,  or  both,  of  Allbritton   Communications   Company  (the  "Company")
constitutes  and  appoints  Jerald N. Fritz and  Stephen P.  Gibson his true and
lawful  attorneys-in-fact  and  agents  with  full  power  of  substitution  and
resubstitution,  and each of them with full power to act  without  the other for
him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities,  to execute and
file, or cause to be filed,  with the  Securities and Exchange  Commission  (the
"Commission")  an Annual Report on Form 10-K for the Company's fiscal year ended
September 30, 1998 and any and all amendments thereto,  and all matters required
by the  Commission in connection  with such Annual Report on Form 10-K under the
Securities   Exchange   Act  of   1934,   as   amended,   granting   unto   said
attorneys-in-fact  and agents,  full power and  authority to do and perform each
and every  act and  thing  requisite  and  necessary  to be done as fully to all
intents and  purposes as he might or could do in person,  hereby  ratifying  and
confirming all that said  attorneys-in-fact  and agents may lawfully do or cause
to be done by virtue hereof.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF,  the undersigned has hereunto set his name and seal
the 8th day of December 1998.

                                              /s/ Joe L. Allbritton        
                                              ---------------------------
                                                  Joe L. Allbritton


<PAGE>


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

                           ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K
                      OF ALLBRITTON COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY


         KNOW  ALL MEN BY  THESE  PRESENTS,  that the  undersigned  director  or
officer,  or  both,  of  Allbritton   Communications   Company  (the  "Company")
constitutes  and  appoints  Jerald N. Fritz and  Stephen P.  Gibson his true and
lawful  attorneys-in-fact  and  agents  with  full  power  of  substitution  and
resubstitution,  and each of them with full power to act  without  the other for
him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities,  to execute and
file, or cause to be filed,  with the  Securities and Exchange  Commission  (the
"Commission")  an Annual Report on Form 10-K for the Company's fiscal year ended
September 30, 1998 and any and all amendments thereto,  and all matters required
by the  Commission in connection  with such Annual Report on Form 10-K under the
Securities   Exchange   Act  of   1934,   as   amended,   granting   unto   said
attorneys-in-fact  and agents,  full power and  authority to do and perform each
and every  act and  thing  requisite  and  necessary  to be done as fully to all
intents and  purposes as he might or could do in person,  hereby  ratifying  and
confirming all that said  attorneys-in-fact  and agents may lawfully do or cause
to be done by virtue hereof.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF,  the undersigned has hereunto set his name and seal
the 8th day of December 1998.


                                                   /s/ Barbara B. Allbritton 
                                                   -------------------------
                                                       Barbara B. Allbritton


<PAGE>


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

                           ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K
                      OF ALLBRITTON COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY


         KNOW  ALL MEN BY  THESE  PRESENTS,  that the  undersigned  director  or
officer,  or  both,  of  Allbritton   Communications   Company  (the  "Company")
constitutes  and  appoints  Jerald N. Fritz and  Stephen P.  Gibson his true and
lawful  attorneys-in-fact  and  agents  with  full  power  of  substitution  and
resubstitution,  and each of them with full power to act  without  the other for
him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities,  to execute and
file, or cause to be filed,  with the  Securities and Exchange  Commission  (the
"Commission")  an Annual Report on Form 10-K for the Company's fiscal year ended
September 30, 1998 and any and all amendments thereto,  and all matters required
by the  Commission in connection  with such Annual Report on Form 10-K under the
Securities   Exchange   Act  of   1934,   as   amended,   granting   unto   said
attorneys-in-fact  and agents,  full power and  authority to do and perform each
and every  act and  thing  requisite  and  necessary  to be done as fully to all
intents and  purposes as he might or could do in person,  hereby  ratifying  and
confirming all that said  attorneys-in-fact  and agents may lawfully do or cause
to be done by virtue hereof.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF,  the undersigned has hereunto set his name and seal
the 8th day of December 1998.

                                                       /s/ Robert L. Allbritton
                                                           --------------------
                                                           Robert L. Allbritton


<PAGE>


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

                           ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K
                      OF ALLBRITTON COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY


         KNOW  ALL MEN BY  THESE  PRESENTS,  that the  undersigned  director  or
officer,  or  both,  of  Allbritton   Communications   Company  (the  "Company")
constitutes  and  appoints  Jerald N. Fritz and  Stephen P.  Gibson his true and
lawful  attorneys-in-fact  and  agents  with  full  power  of  substitution  and
resubstitution,  and each of them with full power to act  without  the other for
him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities,  to execute and
file, or cause to be filed,  with the  Securities and Exchange  Commission  (the
"Commission")  an Annual Report on Form 10-K for the Company's fiscal year ended
September 30, 1998 and any and all amendments thereto,  and all matters required
by the  Commission in connection  with such Annual Report on Form 10-K under the
Securities   Exchange   Act  of   1934,   as   amended,   granting   unto   said
attorneys-in-fact  and agents,  full power and  authority to do and perform each
and every  act and  thing  requisite  and  necessary  to be done as fully to all
intents and  purposes as he might or could do in person,  hereby  ratifying  and
confirming all that said  attorneys-in-fact  and agents may lawfully do or cause
to be done by virtue hereof.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF,  the undersigned has hereunto set his name and seal
the 8th day of December 1998.


                                                         /s/ Lawrence I. Hebert
                                                         ----------------------
                                                             Lawrence I. Hebert


<PAGE>


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

                           ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K
                      OF ALLBRITTON COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY


         KNOW  ALL MEN BY  THESE  PRESENTS,  that the  undersigned  director  or
officer,  or  both,  of  Allbritton   Communications   Company  (the  "Company")
constitutes  and  appoints  Jerald N. Fritz and  Stephen P.  Gibson his true and
lawful  attorneys-in-fact  and  agents  with  full  power  of  substitution  and
resubstitution,  and each of them with full power to act  without  the other for
him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities,  to execute and
file, or cause to be filed,  with the  Securities and Exchange  Commission  (the
"Commission")  an Annual Report on Form 10-K for the Company's fiscal year ended
September 30, 1998 and any and all amendments thereto,  and all matters required
by the  Commission in connection  with such Annual Report on Form 10-K under the
Securities   Exchange   Act  of   1934,   as   amended,   granting   unto   said
attorneys-in-fact  and agents,  full power and  authority to do and perform each
and every  act and  thing  requisite  and  necessary  to be done as fully to all
intents and  purposes as he might or could do in person,  hereby  ratifying  and
confirming all that said  attorneys-in-fact  and agents may lawfully do or cause
to be done by virtue hereof.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF,  the undersigned has hereunto set his name and seal
the 8th day of December 1998.


                                                     /s/ Frederick J. Ryan, Jr.
                                                     --------------------------
                                                         Frederick J. Ryan, Jr.


<PAGE>


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

                           ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K
                      OF ALLBRITTON COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY


         KNOW  ALL MEN BY  THESE  PRESENTS,  that the  undersigned  director  or
officer,  or  both,  of  Allbritton   Communications   Company  (the  "Company")
constitutes  and appoints  Jerald N. Fritz his true and lawful  attorney-in-fact
and agent  with full power of  substitution  and  resubstitution,  and with full
power  to act  for  him  and in his  name,  place  and  stead,  in any  and  all
capacities,  to execute and file, or cause to be filed,  with the Securities and
Exchange  Commission  (the  "Commission")  an Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
Company's  fiscal  year  ended  September  30,  1998 and any and all  amendments
thereto,  and all matters  required by the  Commission in  connection  with such
Annual  Report  on Form 10-K  under  the  Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934,  as
amended, granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agent, full power and authority
to do and perform  each and every act and thing  requisite  and  necessary to be
done as fully to all  intents  and  purposes  as he might or could do in person,
hereby  ratifying and  confirming all that said  attorney-in-fact  and agent may
lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF,  the undersigned has hereunto set his name and seal
the 8th day of December 1998.


                                                          /s/ Stephen P. Gibson
                                                          ---------------------
                                                              Stephen P. Gibson

<PAGE>