The Washington Post Co. will raise the newsstand price of its flagship daily to 50 cents, up from 35 cents, to begin Dec. 31, the Washington Business Journal reported Thursday.

The price increase of the Washington Post is due to decreases in advertising and circulation, the Journal report stated.

Donald Graham, the company's chief executive, forecasted at a conference that the company's Washington Post and Newsweek magazine division will continue to fall in 2008, while at the same time revenue from company's Kalplan education division will continue to rise, according to Bloomberg News, which covered the conference.

According to Audit Bureau of Circulations figures, the Washington Post's paid circulation dropped 3.2 percent to 635,000 in the six months ending Sept. 30. The group's Kaplan education division currently accounts for more than half of the company's quarterly revenue, and is expanding through acquisitions in the United States and abroad, the Washington Business Journal reported.

The last time the Washington Post increased its newsstand price was in 2001, when the price was raised from 25 cents to 35 cents. Home delivery subscriptions costs will remain unchanged, and Sunday newsstand prices will remain at the current $1.50.