Veteran NY Anchor Ernie Anastos Dies at 82

Ernie Anastos, a veteran New York television news anchor known for his authoritative presence and decades-long career across major networks, died Thursday morning at Northern Westchester Hospital. He was 82. His wife confirmed the cause of death as pneumonia.

Anastos built a storied broadcasting career that spanned more than 40 years, earning him over 30 Emmy Awards and nominations, including a Lifetime Achievement Emmy and an Edward R. Murrow Award for excellence in journalism. Inducted into the New York State Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame in 2024, he became one of the city's most trusted voices, covering pivotal events such as the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Born on July 12, 1943, in Nashua, New Hampshire, Anastos graduated from Northeastern University with a degree in sociology. He began in radio as a reporter for stations WRKO and WROR in Boston during the mid-1970s before transitioning to television as an anchor at WPRI in Providence, Rhode Island. In 1978, he joined WABC-TV as a reporter and quickly rose to anchor the 5 p.m. and 11 p.m. Eyewitness News broadcasts, a role he held through much of the 1980s despite a brief...