<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>5</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-12-31</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <form3HoldingsReported>0</form3HoldingsReported>

    <form4TransactionsReported>0</form4TransactionsReported>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001012887</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>BOSTON COMMUNICATIONS GROUP INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>bcgi</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001033421</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>TOBIN PAUL J</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>100 SYLVAN ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 100</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>WOBURN</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>01801</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Chairman of the Board</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-11-21</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType><transactionCode>G</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F3"/></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>8000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>379331</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>Trusts</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">196,831 shares owned by the Paul Tobin 1988 Trust.  174,000 shares owned by the Margaret Tobin 1988 Trust.  Margaret Tobin,  spouse of Paul Tobin.  8,500 Shares held by The Tobin Children Trust (Mary Elizabeth Tobin).</footnote><footnote id="F2">Amount of Securties Benefically Owned adjusted for 6,500 shares for Tobin Children's Trust shares held for Amy Tobin Wilson.  Paul Tobin no longer has indirect ownership of shares.</footnote><footnote id="F3">2,000 shares gifted to Ann Yoney.  2,000 shares gifted to Sean Wilson.  2,000 shares gifted to Tobin Children's Trust F/B/O Amy Tobin Wilson.  2,000 shares gifted to Tobin Children's Trust F/B/O Mary Elizabeth Tobin.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Paul Tobin, By Alan Bouffard under Power of Attorney Dated 8/31/2002</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-01-07</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>



