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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,
 EQoqmnB2mTVFmvcfSQEPbyi8MGNruMMQUEkSifBC0t5eokN9I/gtzrIFMm1ydiyI
 oGIY+A52kM0pOEo8FE/mZw==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000783005-04-000002.txt : 20040105
<SEC-HEADER>0000783005-04-000002.hdr.sgml : 20040105
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20040105102010
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000783005-04-000002
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20040101
FILED AS OF DATE:		20040105

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			LEVENTHAL RICHARD A
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001193955

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-23264
		FILM NUMBER:		04502166

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		40 MONUMENT CIRCLE
		STREET 2:		SUITE 700
		CITY:			INDIANAPOLIS
		STATE:			IN
		ZIP:			46204

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			EMMIS COMMUNICATIONS CORP
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000783005
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	RADIO BROADCASTING STATIONS [4832]
		IRS NUMBER:				351542018
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			IN
		FISCAL YEAR END:			0228

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		ONE EMMIS PLAZA
		STREET 2:		40 MONUMENT CIRCLE SUITE 700
		CITY:			INDIANAPOLIS
		STATE:			IN
		ZIP:			46204
		BUSINESS PHONE:		3172660100

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		ONE EMMIS PLAZA
		STREET 2:		40 MONUMENT CIRCLE #700
		CITY:			INDIANAPOLIS
		STATE:			IN
		ZIP:			46204

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	EMMIS BROADCASTING CORPORATION
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19920703
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>c0001193955d20031231f4f.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<ownershipDocument><schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2004-01-01</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16><issuer><issuerCik>0000783005</issuerCik><issuerName>EMMIS COMMUNICATIONS CORP</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>EMMS</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001193955</rptOwnerCik><rptOwnerName>LEVENTHAL RICHARD A</rptOwnerName></reportingOwnerId><reportingOwnerAddress><rptOwnerStreet1>40 MONUMENT CIRCLE, SUITE 700</rptOwnerStreet1><rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2><rptOwnerCity>INDIANAPOLIS</rptOwnerCity><rptOwnerState>IN</rptOwnerState><rptOwnerZipCode>46204</rptOwnerZipCode><rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription></reportingOwnerAddress><reportingOwnerRelationship><isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle></officerTitle><otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><
nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2004-01-01</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>991</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>8991</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTrans
action><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>3000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By Spouse</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>17600</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By Davstan Trading</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Non-Empl Directors' Stock Option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice
><value>19.84</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2003-06-25</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2012-06-24</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>10000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>10000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Non-Empl Directors' Stock Option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>22.65</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2004-06-25</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-06-24</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><v
alue>Class A Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>10000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>10000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Non-Empl Directors' Stock Option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>24.5</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2000-06-29</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2004-06-28</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>10000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction
><value>10000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Non-Empl Directors' Stock Option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>26.875</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2002-01-10</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2006-01-09</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>10000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>10000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></nat
ureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Non-Empl Directors' Stock Option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>29.18</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2002-06-26</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2006-06-25</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>10000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>10000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">These shares were awarded under the 2002 Equity Compensation Plan for attendance at board and committee meet
ings during calendar year 2003.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>J. Scott Enright</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-12-31</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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