Ernie Anastos, the iconic TV news anchor whose voice and grin were familiar to New York viewers for over 40 years, passed away early Thursday at Northern Westchester Hospital. He was 82.
Anastos died from pneumonia in the early hours of March 12, 2026, his wife Kelly told CBS News. The announcement stunned New York’s journalism community, where he was widely regarded as one of the city’s most trusted and beloved anchors.
“It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of Ernie Anastos, who died at the age of 82. An Emmy Award-winning journalist and beloved former FOX 5 news anchor, his voice, integrity, and lasting impact on New York journalism will never be forgotten,” FOX 5 wrote when reporting his death.
Born July 12, 1943, in Nashua, New Hampshire, into a Greek-American family, Anastos built a distinguished career that included anchoring evening newscasts at all four of New York’s major TV stations — a rare accomplishment. He spent 11 years at WABC-TV’s Eyewitness News starting in 1978, anchoring the 5 p.m. and 11 p.m. broadcasts until 1989. He then worked at WCBS from 1989 to 1995, WWOR from 1995 to 2000, returned to WCBS from 2001 to 2005, and joined WNYW FOX 5 from 2005 to 2019, where he anchored the 5 and 10 p.m. newscasts for 14 years.
“If there was a Mount Rushmore for news anchors in New York, Ernie would be one of the four faces,” Tony Aiello of CBS News New York said, noting Anastos’s professionalism and his ability to work well with many co-anchors.
Across his long career, Anastos reported on major historical events. He was on the air the night of Dec. 8, 1980, when WABC-TV confirmed John Lennon’s death outside the Dakota. Years later, he reported on the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and covered the coronavirus crisis that hit New York in 2020.
His work earned him over 30 Emmy Awards and nominations, including a Lifetime Achievement Emmy and the Edward R. Murrow Award. Beyond awards, Anastos became a larger-than-life presence in the region and frequently appeared at community events, maintaining an active social media profile.
Before his New York career, Anastos developed his skills at Boston radio stations WRKO and WROR and at WPRI-TV in Providence, Rhode Island, where he broke into television. He graduated summa cum laude from Northeastern University with a sociology degree and later received honorary doctorates from institutions including Marist College, New York Institute of Technology, Manhattanville College, Curry College, and Sacred Heart University.
Demonstrating his commitment to lifelong learning, Anastos enrolled at Harvard Business School in June 2019 after leaving FOX 5, taking courses in leadership and management. He stayed involved in broadcasting through his WABC 770 AM radio show “Positively Ernie” and the nationally syndicated “Positively America.”
Bill Ritter, the Eyewitness News anchor who leads the same broadcast Anastos once did, said he recently received a note from Anastos two weeks ago saying “love watching you” and “stay happy and healthy”. Ritter added, “He was something unique and no matter your politics—Ernie was trusted. Reporting the news, reporting truth and facts, that’s what Ernie believed in. He will be more than missed.”
Anastos’s last social media post, on March 3, showed him by the Superman Globe at the Daily News Building in Manhattan. His caption was prophetic: “Now more than ever we need to promote and protect the truth!”
Anastos and his family lived in Westchester County for many years, most recently in Armonk. He was a familiar presence at charity events—serving as host and chair for organizations such as Juvenile Diabetes, Variety the Children’s Charity, March of Dimes, Easter Seals, and St. Francis Food Pantries and Shelters. In 2017, Mayor Bill de Blasio proclaimed March 21 “Ernie Anastos Day” in New York City.
He most recently appeared on WABC-TV in a 2020 documentary about John Lennon’s death, reflecting on the night four decades earlier when he reported the shocking news.
His death closes a chapter in New York TV news, leaving a legacy of integrity, professionalism, and dedication to the truth. For many New Yorkers, Ernie Anastos was more than an anchor—he was a trusted presence who brought the world into their homes with warmth, clarity, and that memorable smile.
He is survived by his wife Kelly, daughter Nina, son Phillip, and four grandchildren.
