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                                                                      EXHIBIT 24


                                Power of Attorney
                Reports Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

                                                                   March 8, 2001

                KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS that each of the undersigned
directors and officers of The Washington Post Company, a Delaware corporation
(hereinafter called the "Company"), hereby constitutes and appoints DONALD E.
GRAHAM, KATHARINE GRAHAM, JOHN B. MORSE, JR. and DIANA M. DANIELS, and each of
them, his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents with full power to
act without the others and with full power of substitution and resubstitution,
for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all
capacities, to sign any and all reports required to be filed by the Company
pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and any and all
amendments 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 and necessary to be done in and about the premises
as fully and to all intents and purposes as he or she 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 his or her substitute or substitutes, may
lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.


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<S>                                                  <C>
            /s/ Donald E. Graham                           /s/ George J. Gillespie, III
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Donald E. Graham, Chairman of the                     George J. Gillespie, III, Director
Board and Chief Executive Officer
(Principal Executive Officer)
and Director


            /s/ Katharine Graham                                /s/ Ralph E. Gomory
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Katharine Graham, Chairman of the                     Ralph E. Gomory, Director
Executive Committee of the Board
and Director


           /s/ John B. Morse, Jr.                              /s/ Donald R. Keough
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John B. Morse, Jr., Vice President-Finance            Donald R. Keough, Director
(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)


            /s/ Warren E. Buffett                              /s/ William J. Ruane
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Warren E. Buffett, Director                           William J. Ruane, Director


             /s/ Daniel B. Burke                              /s/ Richard D. Simmons
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Daniel B. Burke, Director                             Richard D. Simmons, Director


              /s/ Barry Diller                                 /s/ George W. Wilson
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Barry Diller, Director                                George W. Wilson, Director
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