Ernie Anastos, the veteran television news anchor whose voice and smile were a fixture for New Yorkers for more than four decades, died early Thursday at Northern Westchester Hospital. He was 82.
Anastos passed away from pneumonia in the early morning 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 considered one of the city’s most trusted and beloved broadcasters.
“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 all four of New York’s major TV stations — an uncommon feat. He joined WABC-TV’s Eyewitness News in 1978 and spent 11 years there, anchoring the 5 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts until 1989. He then moved to 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 until 2019, anchoring 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, praising Anastos’ professionalism and his ease working with numerous co-anchors.
Throughout his extensive career, Anastos covered major moments in history. He was broadcasting on 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 at the World Trade Center and later covered the coronavirus outbreak in New York in 2020.
His work earned him more than 30 Emmy Awards and nominations, including a Lifetime Achievement Emmy and the Edward R. Murrow Award. Beyond accolades, Anastos became a larger-than-life figure in the region and frequently participated in community events, keeping an active presence on social media.
Before rising in New York, Anastos honed his skills at Boston radio stations WRKO and WROR and at WPRI-TV in Providence, Rhode Island, where he first entered television. He graduated summa cum laude from Northeastern University with a degree in sociology and later received honorary doctorates from schools 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 remained engaged in broadcasting through his WABC 770 AM radio show “Positively Ernie” and the nationally syndicated “Positively America.”
Bill Ritter, the Eyewitness News anchor who now leads the same broadcast 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 media post, on March 3, showed him by the Superman Globe at the Daily News Building in Manhattan. His caption read: “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 functions — serving as host and chair for groups 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 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 forty years earlier when he covered the shocking news.
His passing marks the end of an era in New York television news, leaving behind a reputation for integrity, professionalism, and dedication to accuracy. For many in the city, Ernie Anastos was more than an anchor — he was a trusted figure who brought news into their homes with warmth, clarity, and his trademark smile.
He is survived by his wife Kelly, daughter Nina, son Phillip, and four grandchildren.