<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-24
<SEQUENCE>3
<FILENAME>poaarivlin.txt
<DESCRIPTION>POWER OF ATTORNEY
<TEXT>

THE WASHINGTON POST COMPANY
LIMITED POWER OF ATTORNEY FOR
SECTION 16 REPORTING OBLIGATIONS
Know all by these presents, that the undersigned hereby makes,
constitutes and appoints each of Diana M. Daniels, John B. Morse Jr,
Wallace Cooney and John F. Hockenberry, each acting individually,
as the undersigned's true and lawful attorney-in-fact, with full
power and authority as hereinafter described
on behalf of and in the name, place and stead of the undersigned to:
(1)	prepare, execute, acknowledge, deliver and file any and
all statements, reports and forms (including Forms 3, 4, and 5 and
any amendments and supplements thereto) with respect to the
ownership and changes in ownership of equity
securities of The Washington Post Company, a Delaware corporation
(the "Company"), and derivatives of such equity securities, with
the United States Securities and Exchange
Commission, any national securities exchanges and the Company,
as considered necessary or advisable under Section 16(a) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules and regulations
promulgated thereunder, as amended from time to time (the
"Exchange Act");
(2)	seek or obtain, as the undersigned's representative and on the
undersigned's behalf, information on transactions in the Company's
securities from any third party, including brokers, employee
benefit plan administrators and trustees, and the
undersigned hereby authorizes any such person to release any
such information to the undersigned and approves and ratifies
any such release of information; and
(3)	perform any and all other acts which in the discretion of
such attorney-in-fact are necessary or desirable for and on behalf
of the undersigned in connection with the foregoing.
The undersigned acknowledges that:
(1)	this Power of Attorney authorizes, but does not require, each such
attorney-in-fact to act in their discretion on information provided
to such attorney-in-fact without independent verification of
such information;
(2)	any documents prepared and/or executed by either such
attorney-in-fact on behalf of the undersigned pursuant to this
Power of Attorney will be in such form and will contain such
information and disclosure as such attorney-in-fact, in his or her
discretion, deems necessary or desirable;
(3)	neither the Company nor either of such attorneys-in-fact
assumes (i) any liability for the undersigned's responsibility
to comply with the requirement of the Exchange Act, (ii) any
liability of the undersigned for any failure to comply with such
requirements, or (iii) any obligation or liability of the undersigned
for profit disgorgement under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act; and
(4)	this Power of Attorney does not relieve the undersigned from
responsibility for compliance with the undersigned's obligations
under the Exchange Act, including without limitation the
reporting requirements under Section 16 of the Exchange Act.
The undersigned hereby gives and grants each of the foregoing
attorneys-in-fact full power and authority to do and perform all
and every act and thing whatsoever requisite, necessary or
appropriate to be done in and about the foregoing matters as fully
to all intents and purposes as the undersigned might or could do
if present, hereby ratifying all that each such attorney-in-fact of,
for and on behalf of the undersigned, shall lawfully do or cause to
be done by virtue of this Limited Power of Attorney.
This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect until
revoked by the undersigned in a signed writing delivered to each such
attorney-in-fact.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power of Attorney to
be executed as of this 28th day of August, 2002.

					   s/Alice M. Rivlin
					Signature

					   s/Alice M. Rivlin
					Print Name


STATE OF:    District of Columbia	)
					)
COUNTY OF ____________		)
On this 28th day of August, 2002, Alice Rivlin personally appeared
before me, and acknowledged that s/he executed the foregoing instrument
for the purposes therein contained.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and official seal.



				s/A.E. Burnett
				A.E. Burnett
				Notary Public, District of Columbia

				My Commission Expires:	7-31-2007


</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
