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Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 R9ppDzpoEFftbi7GwhkX7MfY1fsXo49JCHMJ87y9FyR+hZZNp1IvPi0Y9MLn0UOZ
 I0vB6yooYWsRvsfjqcXAig==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001181431-03-008049.txt : 20030519
<SEC-HEADER>0001181431-03-008049.hdr.sgml : 20030519
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030519123723
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001181431-03-008049
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030515
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030519

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			HARTE HANKS INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000045919
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	MISCELLANEOUS PUBLISHING [2741]
		IRS NUMBER:				741677284
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		200 CONCORD PLAZA DR STE 800
		CITY:			SAN ANTONIO
		STATE:			TX
		ZIP:			78216
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2108299000

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	HARTE HANKS COMMUNICATIONS INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19920703

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	HARTE HANKS NEWSPAPERS INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19771010

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			FRANKLIN LARRY
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000918996
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			TX
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-07120
		FILM NUMBER:		03710080

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		HARTE HANKS COMMUNICATIONS INC
		STREET 2:		200 CONCORD PLAZA DRIVE SUITE 800
		CITY:			SAN ANTONIO
		STATE:			TX
		ZIP:			78216
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2108299000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		HARTE HANKS COMMUNICATIONS INC
		STREET 2:		200 CONCORD PLAZA DRIVE SUITE 800
		CITY:			SAN ANTONIO
		STATE:			TX
		ZIP:			78216
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>rrd9133.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>
<periodOfReport>2003-05-15</periodOfReport>
<notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000045919</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>HARTE HANKS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>HHS</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer>
<reportingOwner>
<reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0000918996</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>FRANKLIN LARRY</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector>
<isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
<isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
<isOther>0</isOther>
<officerTitle>Chairman of the Board</officerTitle>
<otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner>
<nonDerivativeSecurity>
<securityTitle>
<value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-05-15</value></transactionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding>
<transactionTimeliness>
<value></value></transactionTimeliness>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>2400</value></transactionShares>
<transactionValue>
<value>19.07</value></transactionValue>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>3342769</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity>
<nonDerivativeSecurity>
<securityTitle>
<value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-05-15</value></transactionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding>
<transactionTimeliness>
<value></value></transactionTimeliness>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>100</value></transactionShares>
<transactionValue>
<value>19.17</value></transactionValue>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>3342669</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity>
<nonDerivativeSecurity>
<securityTitle>
<value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-05-15</value></transactionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding>
<transactionTimeliness>
<value></value></transactionTimeliness>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>1600</value></transactionShares>
<transactionValue>
<value>19.05</value></transactionValue>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>3341069</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity>
<nonDerivativeSecurity>
<securityTitle>
<value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-05-15</value></transactionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding>
<transactionTimeliness>
<value></value></transactionTimeliness>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>900</value></transactionShares>
<transactionValue>
<value>19.12</value></transactionValue>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>3340169</value>
<footnoteId id="F1"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity>
<footnotes>
<footnote id="F1">The reporting person also has an indirect beneficial ownership of common stock of the Issuer through two trusts, each owning 75,000 shares.</footnote></footnotes>
<ownerSignature>
<signatureName>Dean H. Blythe, Power of Attorney</signatureName>
<signatureDate>2003-05-19</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>


</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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