Sad news was announced by WABC-TV on Thursday, March 12, 2026, as beloved longtime anchor of Eyewitness News, Ernie Anastos, died at the age of 82. According to his wife, Kelly Anastos, he passed away from pneumonia at Northern Westchester Hospital in Mount Kisco, NY.
Ernest Alexander Anastos was born in Nashua, New Hampshire, on July 12, 1943. He started his career in public broadcasting at the age of 15 after landing a job at a New Hampshire station. He continued working in radio while attending Northeastern University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology. Throughout his life, he would go on to earn honorary doctorates from many colleges, including “New York Institute of Technology, Marist College, Manhattanville College, Curry College, and Sacred Heart University”.
After college, Anastos was hired by WPRI News in Providence, Rhode Island, in 1976. Just 2 years later, he joined Boston’s WABC-AM News team as a reporter, “anchoring the 5 pm and 11 pm broadcasts”. He spent 11 years at WABC, hosting the Eyewitness News segment and covering major stories. He is best remembered for his reporting on the fatal shooting of John Lennon, as he was present outside Lennon’s home minutes before the event. Anastos was even featured in a 2020 documentary about the shooting. He also covered “the aftermath of Princess Diana’s death, Fidel Castro’s reign in Cuba, the September 11 attacks, and the Covid-19 pandemic”. He would spend the rest of his career at WCBS and WNYW Fox 5, while also hosting “the Positively Ernie radio talk show for WABC 770 AM”.
In an interview with fellow anchor Bill Ritter, Anatos shared what he loved about his job and how meaningful it was when fans approached him on the street, saying, “They’ll tell you about, perhaps, a comment that you would have made, something very personal. Something that makes you really understand that they were watching this thing. They weren’t just flipping, just passing by. They were sitting down and paying attention to what you were talking about”. Throughout his career, Anatos earned the Edward R. Murrow Award and over 30 Emmy Awards.
Mayor Mamdani made a post on social media paying tribute to Anastos, saying, “Legendary and iconic barely begin to capture Ernie Anastos. An Emmy-winning anchor, a trusted voice in New York, and a role model in the craft of journalism. May we remember him with the respect and admiration he so deeply earned”.
Anastos is survived by his wife, 2 children, and 4 grandchildren.
