Longtime New York TV News Anchor Ernie Anastos Dies at 82

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Ernie Anastos, a veteran New York television news anchor who worked at WABC, WCBS, and WNYW over a 40-plus year career, died on March 11 at the age of 82. Anastos began his career in Boston radio in the 1970s before transitioning to TV, and he went on to win more than 30 local Emmy awards during his time anchoring newscasts in the New York market.

Why it matters

Anastos was a fixture on New York television for decades, helping to shape the city's news coverage and informing generations of viewers. His passing marks the end of an era for local news in the nation's largest media market.

The details

Anastos started at WABC in 1978 as the anchor of the 11 p.m. Eyewitness News broadcast, later adding the 5 p.m. newscast to his duties. He left WABC in 1989 and then spent several years as the lead anchor at rival station WCBS. Anastos returned to WCBS in the early 2000s, helping to anchor the station's coverage of the September 11th terrorist attacks. He then moved to WNYW in 2005, where he led the station's evening newscasts for 15 years before leaving to attend Harvard Business School.

• Anastos began his career in Boston radio in the mid-1970s.
• He joined WABC in New York in 1978.
• Anastos left WABC in 1989.
• He returned to WCBS as lead anchor in the early 2000s.
• Anastos joined WNYW in 2005 and remained there until 2020.