<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001209191-03-018374
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20030819
<FILING-DATE>20030821
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>CHRISTIAN EDWARD K
<CIK>0001190159
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-11588
<FILM-NUMBER>03859939
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<PHONE>313
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>21 NEWBERRY PLACE
<CITY>GROSSE POINTE
<STATE>MI
<ZIP>48236
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>SAGA COMMUNICATIONS INC
<CIK>0000886136
<ASSIGNED-SIC>4832
<IRS-NUMBER>383042953
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>73 KERCHEVAL AVE
<CITY>GROSSE POINTE FARMS
<STATE>MI
<ZIP>48236
<PHONE>3138867070
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>73 KERCHEVAL AVE
<CITY>GROSSE POINTE FARMS
<STATE>MI
<ZIP>48236
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>doc4.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4 SUBMISSION
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument><schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-08-19</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16><issuer><issuerCik>0000886136</issuerCik><issuerName>SAGA COMMUNICATIONS INC</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>SGA</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001190159</rptOwnerCik><rptOwnerName>CHRISTIAN EDWARD K</rptOwnerName></reportingOwnerId><reportingOwnerAddress><rptOwnerStreet1>73 KERCHEVAL</rptOwnerStreet1><rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2><rptOwnerCity>GROSSE POINTE FARMS</rptOwnerCity><rptOwnerState>MI</rptOwnerState><rptOwnerZipCode>48236</rptOwnerZipCode><rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription></reportingOwnerAddress><reportingOwnerRelationship><isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Chairman, President and CEO</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-08-19</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>C</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>80000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><footnoteId id="F1" /></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>80000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-08-19</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>80000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>19.09</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>432.51</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>held in 401(k) account</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Employee Stock Option (Right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>10.56</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-08-19</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>80000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F2" /></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2008-07-23</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Class B Common</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>80000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>312132</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Class B Common Stock</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><footnoteId id="F3" /></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-08-19</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>80000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F3" /></exerciseDate><expirationDate><footnoteId id="F3" /></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>80000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Class B Common Stock</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><footnoteId id="F3" /></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-08-19</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>C</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>80000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><footnoteId id="F3" /></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F3" /></exerciseDate><expirationDate><footnoteId id="F3" /></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>80000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>2360370</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Acquired upon conversion of Class B Common Stock on 1-for-1 basis</footnote><footnote id="F2">Exercisable as to 20% of the shares granted on each of March 1, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003</footnote><footnote id="F3">Class B shares automatically convert into Class A shares on a 1-for-1 basis upon their sale by the reporting person</footnote></footnotes><remarks></remarks><ownerSignature><signatureName>/s/ Edward K. Christian, by Paul R. Rentenbach attorney-in-fact</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-08-21</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
