Ernie Anastos, the longtime New York television news anchor who became a trusted voice for viewers across the tristate area, has died at the age of 82.
Fox 5 announced his passing in a statement, describing him as an Emmy Award-winning journalist whose voice, integrity, and contributions to New York journalism will never be forgotten.
According to his wife, Anastos died early Thursday from pneumonia at Northern Westchester Hospital.
During a broadcasting career that spanned decades, Anastos earned 30 Emmy Awards and nominations and reported on major events including the September 11 att4cks and the C0V1D-19 pand3mic. He was also honored with a Lifetime Emmy Award and was inducted into the New York State Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame.
Anastos began working at ABC 7 in 1978 before moving to CBS 2 in 1989. He later worked at WWOR starting in 1997 and returned to CBS in 2001. In 2005, he joined Fox 5 New York, where he co-anchored the evening news alongside Rosanna Scotto.
He stepped away from Fox 5 around 2020 and later studied leadership management at Harvard Business School. In recent years, he also hosted a radio program on 77WABC.
Throughout his career, Anastos often spoke about the importance of truth in journalism. In a video posted earlier this month, he encouraged people to stand up for truth and live by it in everyday life.
Early in his career, he was even encouraged to change his Greek last name, something he later recalled as common during a time when ethnic names were less accepted in broadcasting.
Following news of his death, many colleagues shared tributes remembering his professionalism and kindness. Former co-anchor Rosanna Scotto said she enjoyed working alongside him and called him someone the newsroom truly admired.
Others described Anastos as the heart of the newsroom and a journalist who set the gold standard in both life and the news industry.