NEW YORK — Longtime New York City anchor Ernie Anastos, who served as a trusted source of news for the tristate area for decades, has died.

“New York City has lost a true broadcasting icon with the passing of Ernie Anastos at the age of 82,” Fox shared in a statement online Thursday night. “As a beloved member of the Fox 5 family for years, his warmth, positivity and spirit left an indelible mark on the city he called home.”

Anastos’ wife, Kelly also confirmed his death. She told CBS News he died early Thursday morning of pneumonia at Northern Westchester Hospital.

Over the course of his lengthy career, Anastos spent time on-air with several different flagship New York television networks, starting with ABC 7 in 1978. He remained there until 1989, at which point he joined CBS 2, and then moved over to WWOR in 1997, before returning to CBS in 2001.

“If there was a Mount Rushmore for news anchors in New York, Ernie would be one of the four faces,” CBS News New York’s Tony Aiello said. “He worked at four stations. He paired well with every co-anchor they ever put him with because he was such a pro.”

Anastos wrapped his time on television with Fox 5, joining the network in 2005. He hosted the nightly news with Rosanna Scotto until making his exit in 2020. Leading up to his death, the longtime journalist served as a voice for WABC 770 AM, where he hosted “Positively Ernie.”

Before landing in New York, Anastos also worked at stations in Boston and Providence, Rhode Island.

A proud member of the Greek-American community, Anastos earned no shortage of accolades for his work, which included his award-winning coverage of the 9/11 attacks. He earned more than 30 Emmy nominations and awards over the course of his career, including a Lifetime Achievement Emmy Award.

Anastos was inducted into the New York State Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame in 2024.

In his final Instagram post on March 3, Anastos’ passion for journalism was still burning strong as ever. He used the short clip to emphasize the need to “to teach truth in our homes and in our schools, wherever we have that opportunity.”

He added: “I think we all have to sit back and say let’s stand up for truth and support it and make sure that we live it on a day-to-day basis.”

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