SEC FORM 3 SEC Form 3
FORM 3 UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
 
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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person*
GATES MELINDA FRENCH

(Last) (First) (Middle)
1835 73RD AVENUE, N.E.

(Street)
MEDINA WA 98039

(City) (State) (Zip)
2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
09/09/2004
3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
WASHINGTON POST CO [ WPO ]
4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
X Director 10% Owner
Officer (give title below) Other (specify below)
5. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)
X Form filed by One Reporting Person
Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned
1. Title of Security (Instr. 4) 2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned (Instr. 4) 3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5) 4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)
No Securities Owned 0 D
Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 4) 2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year) 3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 4) 4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 5. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5) 6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)
Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Explanation of Responses:
Remarks:
Diana M. Daniels obo Melinda Gates 09/09/2004
** Signature of Reporting Person Date
Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5 (b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.
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 Power of Attorney



 Reports Under Section 16(a)

 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934





 KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS that the undersigned, a director,

executive officer or beneficial owner of more than ten percent of the

equity securities of The Washington Post Company, a Delaware corporation

(hereinafter called the Company), hereby appoints DIANA M. DANIELS,

JOHN F. HOCKENBERRY, JOHN B. MORSE, JR. and WALLACE COONEY, and each of

them, the undersigneds true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents with

full power to act without the other and with full power of substitution

and re-substitution, to execute, deliver and file, for the undersigned

and in the undersigneds name, place and stead, any and all statements,

reports and forms, and any and all amendments and supplements thereto,

required to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under

Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules and

regulations adopted thereunder, in each case as the same may be amended

from time to time, with respect to the ownership and changes in ownership

of equity securities of the Company and derivatives of such equity

securities, hereby granting to 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 the

undersigned might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and

confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact or agents or any of

them, or their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or

cause to be done by virtue hereof.



The undersigned acknowledges that the foregoing attorneys-in-fact,

in serving in such capacity at the request of the undersigned,

are not assuming, nor is the Company assuming, any of the

undersigneds responsibilities to comply with Section 16 of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.



This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect until

the undersigned is not longer required to file Forms 3, 4 and 5

with respect to the undersigneds holdings of and transactions in

securities issued by the Company, unless (i) earlier revoked by

the undersigned in a signed writing delivered to the foregoing

attorneys-in-fact, or (ii) with respect to each individual

attorney-in-fact, upon their retirement or termination of

employment with the Company.



Dated:       August 2, 2004



     /s/ Melinda Gates