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) September 9, 2004

                    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 5 - Corporate Governance and Management

Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Principal Officers; Election
of Directors; Appointment of Principal Officers

     Item 5.02(d) Election of Directors

     (1) On September 9, 2004, Melinda Gates was elected to
the Board of Directors of The Washington Post Company.

     (2) None

     (3) None

     (4) None


Section 9 - Financial Statements and Exhibits

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits

     Item 9.01(c) Exhibits

     Exhibit No.	Description

     99.1		Press Release dated September 9, 2004



                           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 September 9, 2004             /s/ John B. Morse, Jr.
                                           (Signature)
                                       John B. Morse, Jr.
                                     Vice President, Finance



                           EXHIBIT INDEX


Exhibit No.	Description


Exhibit 99.1	Press Release dated September 9, 2004

                                          September 9, 2004



  MELINDA FRENCH GATES ELECTED A DIRECTOR OF THE WASHINGTON POST
                              COMPANY


WASHINGTON - The Washington Post Company (NYSE: WPO) announced
today that Melinda French Gates has been elected to the Board of
Directors.  Her election increases the Company's Board to ten
members.

     Along with her husband, Melinda Gates is co-founder of the
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which seeks to improve people's
lives by bringing advances in health and learning to those who
need them most.

     In her role with the foundation, Melinda Gates works with
local, national and international partners and foundation grantees
to further the foundation's goal of improving equity in four
areas: global health, education, access to digital information via
public libraries and support for at-risk families in Washington
State and Oregon.

     Gates received a bachelor's degree in computer science and
economics from Duke University in 1986 and a master's in business
administration from Duke's Fuqua School of Business in 1987.

     After joining Microsoft Corporation in 1987, she
distinguished herself in business as a leader in the development
of many of Microsoft's multimedia products. In 1996, Gates retired
from her position as Microsoft's General Manager of Information
Products.

     Since then she has directed her energy toward the non-profit
world. In addition to her role with the foundation, she is a
former member of the Board of Trustees of Duke University and is a
former co-chair of the Washington State Governor's Commission on
Early Learning. She also serves on the Board of Directors of
drugstore.com.

     Bill and Melinda Gates live in Medina, Washington, near
Seattle. They have three children.