UNITED STATES
                SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                       WASHINGTON, DC 20549

                             FORM 8-K


          Current Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
              of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) May 12, 2005

                    THE WASHINGTON POST COMPANY
       Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

      Delaware               1-6714               53-0182885
   (State or other      (Commission File         (IRS Employer
   jurisdiction of           Number)          Identification No.)
   incorporation)


  1150 15th Street,                                  20071
N.W. Washington, D.C.                             (Zip Code)
(Address of principal
 executive offices)


                          (202) 334-6000
       (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

                          Not Applicable
  (Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended
to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant
under any of the following provisions:

[  ] Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the
     Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
[  ] Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the
     Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
[  ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b)
     under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
[  ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c)
     under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))


Section 1 - Registrant's Business and Operations

Item 1.01 Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement

     Item 1.01(a) On May 12, 2005, the Board of Directors of
the Company approved a series of amendments to The Washington
Post Company Deferred Compensation Plan (the Plan).  The Plan
was amended to give participants, who had elected to defer
compensation prior to the enactment of new restrictions on
deferred compensation arrangements under Section 409A of the
Internal Revenue Code, the ability to make new deferral elections
in cases of deferrals that became subject to such new restrictions.
The ability to make new elections in these situations has been
authorized by the Internal Revenue Service in its transition rules
contained in IRS Notice 2005-1.


Section 9 - Financial Statements and Exhibits

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits

     Item 9.01(c) Exhibits

     Exhibit No.	Description

     10.1		The Washington Post Company Deferred Compensation
			Plan Amended and Restated Effective May 12, 2005



                           SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on
its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                   The Washington Post Company
                                          (Registrant)

Date May 12, 2005 	            /s/ John B. Morse, Jr.
                                          (Signature)
                                       John B. Morse, Jr.
                                     Vice President, Finance



                           EXHIBIT INDEX


Exhibit No.	Description


Exhibit 10.1	The Washington Post Company Deferred Compensation
		Plan Amended and Restated Effective May 12, 2005.