|Exhibit 31.2
|------------



|SECTION 302 CERTIFICATION
|-------------------------



|I, Harry T. Hawks, certify that:
|--------------------------------



|1. | I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K
      of Hearst-Argyle Television, Inc. (the registrant);
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|2. | Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain
      any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
      necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under
      which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period
      covered by this report;
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|3. | Based on my knowledge, the financial statements,
      and other financial information included in this report, fairly present
      in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations
      and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in
      this report;
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|4. | The registrants other certifying officer
      and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls
      and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e))
      for the registrant and we have:
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| | a) | Designed such disclosure controls and procedures,
      or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our
      supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant,
      including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within
      those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being
      prepared;
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| | b) | Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrants
      disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions
      about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures as of
      the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and
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| | c) | Disclosed in this report any change in the registrants
      internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrants
      fourth fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely
      to materially affect, the registrants internal control over financial
      reporting; and
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|5. | The registrants other certifying officer
      and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control
      over financial reporting, to the registrants auditors and the audit
      committee of the registrants board of directors (or persons performing
      the equivalent functions):
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| | a) | All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses
      in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting
      which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrants ability
      to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and
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| | b) | Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves
      management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrants
      internal control over financial reporting.
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|Date: June 3, 2004
|------------------

|       | /s/ HARRY
      T. HAWKS                                  
|------ | ----------------------------------------------------------
|      
|Name:  | Harry T. Hawk                                             
|Title: | Executive Vice President
      and Chief Financial Officer