Ernie Anastos, the legendary New York news anchor who became a fixture of evening television across all four major city networks over a 50-year career, died on March 12, 2026. He was 82. His wife of nearly six decades, Kelly Anastos, confirmed he passed away at Northern Westchester Hospital in Mount Kisco, New York, due to complications related to pneumonia.
Anastos achieved the rare industry distinction of anchoring the flagship evening broadcasts for WABC-TV, WCBS-TV, WWOR-TV, and WNYW. He was the first Greek-American to anchor a major-market television newscast in the United States, delivering the news to millions of New Yorkers through eras of significant historical turbulence.
During his five decades on the air, Anastos led local coverage of the September 11 terror attacks, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the deaths of Princess Diana and John F. Kennedy Jr. He also secured high-profile interviews with U.S. Presidents Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush, and Bill Clinton. His work earned him more than 30 Emmy Awards, a Lifetime Emmy Award, and an Edward R. Murrow Award for broadcast excellence.
In 2017, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio officially declared March 21 as Ernie Anastos Day in recognition of his civic contributions. Following his death, current Mayor Zohran Mamdani issued a statement honoring Anastos as a trusted voice in New York and a role model in the craft of journalism.
Anastos stepped back from his daily anchoring duties at WNYW in 2019 to study leadership and management at Harvard Business School. He remained active in local media until his death, hosting a daily radio segment titled Positively Ernie on 77 WABC, which focused entirely on uplifting news stories. He is survived by his wife, his children Nina and Philip, and four grandchildren.