As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 31, 2005

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

FORM S-8

Saga Communications, Inc.

Saga Communications, Inc.
73 Kercheval Avenue
Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan 48236
(313) 886-7070
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)

Saga Communications, Inc. 2005 Incentive Compensation Plan
(Full title of the plan)

Fred B. Green, Esq.
Bodman LLP
34^th Floor, 100 Renaissance Center
Detroit, Michigan 48243
(313) 259-7777

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

Table of Contents

Part I — Information Required in the Section 10(a) Prospectus

This Registration Statement (the “Registration Statement”) relates to the issuance of shares of Class A Common Stock, Class B Common Stock, and Class A Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the Class B Common Stock (collectively, the “Common Stock”), of Saga Communications, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), to persons who participate in the Saga Communications, Inc. 2005 Incentive Compensation Plan (the “Plan”).

The documents containing the information specified in Part I of this Form S-8 (Plan information, Company information and employee plan annual information) will be sent or given to participants as specified by Securities and Exchange Commission Rule 428(b)(1). Such documents need not be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission either as part of this Registration Statement or as prospectuses or prospectus supplements pursuant to Rule 424. These documents, and the documents incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement pursuant to Item 3 of this Form S-8 (Part II hereof) taken together, constitute a prospectus that meets the requirements of Section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Part II — Information Required in Registration Statement

Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

The following documents filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) are incorporated in this Registration Statement by reference:

All documents filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, subsequent to the date of this Registration Statement and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of each such document.

Item 4. Description of Securities.

Not applicable.

Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

None.

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Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

The Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company provides for indemnification to the full extent permitted by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “Delaware Code”), as amended from time to time. Such section makes mandatory the indemnification by the Company of directors, officers, employees or agents from and against any and all expenses and liabilities that may be imposed upon or incurred by him in connection with, or as a result of, any proceeding in which he may become involved, as a party or otherwise, by reason of the fact that he is or was such a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company or any subsidiary or parent of the Company, whether or not he continues to be such at the time such expenses and liabilities have been imposed or incurred. Section 145 of the Delaware Code also provides that such indemnification is not exclusive of any other indemnification rights granted by the Company to directors, officers, employees or agents.

The By-Laws of the Company mandate that each person who at any time is, or shall have been, a director or officer of the Company, and is threatened to be or is made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative by reason of the fact that he is, or was, a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company, or is or has served at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with any action, suit or proceeding to the full extent permitted under subsections (a) through (e) of Section 145 of the Delaware Code, as from time to time amended. The By-Laws further provide that the foregoing right of indemnification shall in no way be exclusive of any other rights of indemnification to which such director, officer, employee or agent may be entitled, under any by-law, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise, and shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a person.

The Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company also contains a provision eliminating the liability of a director to the Company or its stockholders for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, other than liability (a) for breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the Company or its stockholders, (b) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (c) under Section 174 of the Delaware Code or (d) for any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.

Item 7. Exemption From Registration.

Not applicable.

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Item 8. Exhibits.

The following documents are attached hereto or incorporated herein by reference as exhibits to this Registration Statement:

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Item 9. Undertakings.

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SIGNATURES

The Registrant. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing of Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Grosse Pointe Farms, State of Michigan on this 31^st day of May, 2005.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed below on May 31, 2005, by the following persons in the capacities indicated below. By so signing, each of the undersigned, in his capacity as a director or officer, or both, as the case may be, of the Registrant, does hereby appoint Samuel D. Bush and Catherine A. Bobinski, and each of them severally, his or her true and lawful attorney to execute in his or her name, place and stead, in his or her capacity as a director or officer, or both, as the case may be, of the Registrant, any and all amendments to this Registration Statement and post-effective amendments thereto (including prospectus supplements) and all instruments necessary or incidental in connection therewith, and to file the same with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Each of said attorneys shall have full power and authority to do and perform in the name and on behalf of each of the undersigned, in any and all capacities, every act whatsoever requisite or necessary to be done in the premises as fully, and for all intents and purposes, as each of the undersigned might or could do in person, the undersigned hereby ratifying and approving the acts of said attorneys and each of them.

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EXHIBIT INDEX

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