Ernie Anastos, a long‑time television news personality whose voice and smile were a staple for New Yorkers for more than four decades, died early Thursday at Northern Westchester Hospital. He was 82.
Anastos succumbed to pneumonia in the early hours of March 12, 2026, his wife Kelly told CBS News. The news came as a shock to New York’s journalism community, where he was widely seen 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 on July 12, 1943, in Nashua, New Hampshire, to a Greek‑American family, Anastos enjoyed a notable career that included anchoring evening newscasts at each of New York’s four major TV stations — a rare feat. He spent 11 years at WABC-TV’s Eyewitness News beginning in 1978, anchoring the 5 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts until 1989. He later worked at WCBS from 1989 to 1995, WWOR from 1995 to 2000, returned to WCBS from 2001 to 2005, and was with WNYW FOX 5 from 2005 to 2019, anchoring the 5 and 10 p.m. broadcasts 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, praising Anastos’ professionalism and his ease working with many co‑anchors.
Over his long tenure, Anastos covered major historical moments. 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 outbreak that struck New York in 2020.
His reporting earned him more than 30 Emmy Awards and nominations, including a Lifetime Achievement Emmy and the Edward R. Murrow Award. Beyond trophies, Anastos became an outsized figure in the region and was a frequent presence at community events, while staying active on social media.
Before making his mark in New York, Anastos honed his craft at Boston radio stations WRKO and WROR and at WPRI-TV in Providence, Rhode Island, where he first broke into television. He graduated summa cum laude from Northeastern University with a degree in sociology and later received honorary doctorates from places such as Marist College, New York Institute of Technology, Manhattanville College, Curry College, and Sacred Heart University.
Committed to lifelong learning, Anastos enrolled in courses at Harvard Business School in June 2019 after leaving FOX 5, focusing on leadership and management. He stayed connected to broadcasting with his WABC 770 AM radio show “Positively Ernie” and the nationally syndicated “Positively America.”
Bill Ritter, the Eyewitness News anchor who now leads the program Anastos once anchored, 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’ final social post, on March 3, showed him beside the Superman Globe at the Daily News Building in Manhattan, with a caption that now reads prescient: “Now more than ever we need to promote and protect the truth!”
He and his family lived for many years in Westchester County, most recently in Armonk. He was a familiar face at charitable functions—serving as host and chair for organizations including 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 declared 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 announced the shocking news.
His passing marks the end of an era in New York television journalism, leaving a legacy defined by integrity, professionalism, and a dedication to truthful reporting. For countless New Yorkers, Ernie Anastos was more than an anchor—he was a trusted presence who brought news into their homes with warmth, clarity, and that signature smile.
He is survived by his wife Kelly, daughter Nina, son Phillip, and four grandchildren.
