1

                                                                      EXHIBIT 24


                               Power of Attorney
               Reports Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

                 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 KATHARINE
GRAHAM, DONALD E. GRAHAM, ALAN G. SPOON and JOHN B. MORSE, JR. 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.

           Dated:  March 10, 1994.


                                                
/s/    Donald E. Graham                            /s/    Ralph E. Gomory            
- ---------------------------------                  ----------------------------------
Donald E. Graham, Chairman of the                  Ralph E. Gomory, Director
Board and Chief Executive Officer
(Principal Executive Officer)
and Director


/s/    Alan G. Spoon                               /s/    Nicholas deB. Katzenbach   
- --------------------------------                   ----------------------------------
Alan G. Spoon, President, Chief                    Nicholas deB. Katzenbach, Director
Operating Officer and Director


/s/    Katharine Graham                            /s/   Donald R. Keough            
- --------------------------------                   ----------------------------------
Katharine Graham, Chairman of the                  Donald R. Keough, Director
Executive Committee of the Board
and Director


/s/    John B. Morse, Jr.                          /s/   Anthony J.F. O'Reilly       
- ---------------------------------                  ----------------------------------
John B. Morse, Jr., Vice President-                Anthony J.F. O'Reilly, Director
Finance (Principal Financial and
Accounting Officer)


/s/    Benjamin C. Bradlee                         /s/   Barbara Scott Preiskel      
- ---------------------------------                  ----------------------------------
Benjamin C. Bradlee, Director                      Barbara Scott Preiskel, Director


/s/    James E. Burke                              /s/   William J. Ruane            
- ---------------------------------                  ----------------------------------
James E. Burke, Director                           William J. Ruane, Director

   2
                                                                               2




                                                
/s/    Martin Cohen                                /s/   Richard D. Simmons          
- ---------------------------------                  ----------------------------------
Martin Cohen, Director                             Richard D. Simmons, Director


/s/    George J. Gillispie                         /s/   George W. Wilson            
- ---------------------------------                  ----------------------------------
George J. Gillespie, III, Director                 George W. Wilson, Director