Legendary New York City TV Anchor, Ernie Anastos, Dies at 82

A legendary and familiar face for generations of local TV viewers has died.

City Longtime New York City TV News Anchor Ernie Anastos has died. Anastos was 82 years old. The news of his passing has been confirmed by multiple outlets including ABC 7.

They reported the news Thursday evening (March 12).  It's a big story for viewers of New York City TV. 

Anastos was a familiar face for viewers of New York TV for decades. His career started at WABC (ABC 7) in 1979. He would later work at WCBS (CBS 2) before a long and storied career at WNYW (Fox 5).

Anastos earned 30 Emmy Awards and nominations during his storied career. The legendary broadcaster was on the air for some of the biggest stories of the generation including 9/11, the Miracle on the Hudson and the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The circumstances surrounding his death were not immediately clear.

Reactions are pouring in from across the region as well. Ernie's longtime colleague Rosanna Scotto issued a statement tonight saying she was heartbroken following the news of his death.

“I loved working with him. “We are all heartbroken to hear that he’s passed," Scotto told Page Six Thursday evening. 

This is a developing story. We'll update it with more information when it's made available.