EXHIBIT 24

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


         The undersigned member of the Board of Directors of Knight-Ridder,
Inc., does hereby constitute and appoint Gary R. Effren, Gordon Yamate and Polk
Laffoon, and each of them, his/her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agents,
with full power of substitution and resubstitution for him/her in his/her name,
place and stead in any and all capacities to sign any and all Reports on Form
10-K for the fiscal year ended December 30, 2001 (Annual Report pursuant to the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934) and any amendments thereto and to file the
same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith,
with the Securities and Exchange Commission granting unto said attorneys-in-fact
and agents and each of them full power and authority to do and perform each and
every act and thing requisite or necessary to be done in and about the premises,
as fully to all intents and purposes as the undersigned might or could do in
person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and
agents or any of them, or their or the undersigned substitute or substitutes,
may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

         IN WITNESS WHEROF, the undersigned has signed his/her name hereto on
the date set forth opposite his or her name.

March 20, 2002                              James I. Cash, Jr.*
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                                            James I. Cash, Jr.

March 20, 2002                              Kathleen Foley Feldstein*
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                                            Kathleen Foley Feldstein

March 20, 2002                              Thomas P. Gerrity*
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                                            Thomas P. Gerrity

March 20, 2002                              Barbara Barnes Hauptfuhrer*
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                                            Barbara Barnes Hauptfuhrer

March 20, 2002                              Pat Mitchell *
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                                            Pat Mitchell

March 20, 2002                              M. Kenneth Oshman*
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                                            M. Kenneth Oshman

March 20, 2002                              P. Anthony Ridder*
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                                            P. Anthony Ridder

March 20, 2002                              Randall L. Tobias*
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                                            Randall L. Tobias

March 20, 2002                              Gonzalo F. Valdes-Fauli*
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                                            Gonzalo F. Valdes-Fauli

March 20, 2002                              John L. Weinberg*
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                                            John L. Weinberg