Ernie Anastos

Ernie Anastos has been a television news anchor at WABC-TV, WCBS-TV and WNYW-TV in New York.[14][15][16][17] He has covered stories including 9/11 World Trade Center attacks and the 2020 global pandemic.[18] In 2004 from Cuba, he reported on Fidel Castro’s revolutionary reign and has interviewed other noted world leaders including; Presidents Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton, also Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev and South African bishop Desmond Tutu.[11][19][20]

He has had broadcast ownership of AM and FM radio stations in New York State and New England.[11] He is also the CEO of his own television production company creating entertainment programming.[21] He launched an Internet youth channel and has also published newspapers and magazines.[22] He has performed on-camera roles as himself in Hollywood motion pictures such as the Independence Day, Summer of Sam, Run All Night and The Yards.[23]

After graduating from Northeastern University with BA degree in Sociology, Anastos worked as a newsman at WRKO and WROR in Boston.[24] In 1976, Anastos moved to television, becoming an anchor at WPRI-TV in Providence.[25] In June 1978, WABC-TV in New York hired Anastos[26] and he became anchor of the 11:00 p.m. Eyewitness News broadcast in November.[27] He anchored the 11p.m. broadcast until 1983.[28][29] Anastos also added the anchor duties for the 5 p.m. newscast WABC-TV.

For a brief period, Anastos was taken off the 5 and 11 p.m. newscasts. During that period, and up until the program was cancelled in 1984, Anastos anchored a 4:30 p.m. broadcast called Eyewitness Extra.[30][31] Anastos again became the anchor of the early evening and late newscasts on WABC-TV. He continued to work at 5 p.m. until 1986, after which he continued to anchor at 11 p.m.[32]

In May 1989, Anastos announced that he was leaving WABC after eleven years.[33] The next month, he took over as WCBS-TV’s lead anchor and also the 11 p.m. anchor role.[34]

From 1995-2000, Anastos became involved in radio and TV broadcast ownership while also anchoring and hosting various assignments including, WWOR-TV and Lifetime's Our Home.[11][12]

In 2001, he returned to WCBS-TV as the lead anchor at 5, 6, and 11pm.. He covered The World Trade Center attacks on 9/11.[18]

In 2005, he signed a five-year, $10 million contact with WNYW-TV.[35] At channel 5, he appeared for the news at 5 and 10pm.[8][36] At that time, Anastos took over the 6p.m. news anchor role on WNYW-TV in 2012 with a newly revamped format to include more live interview segments and positive news stories.[11]

In June 2019, Anastos decided to relinquish his anchoring duties at the WNYW-TV to enroll at Harvard Business School to study a curriculum of leadership and management courses.[29] On-air tributes video was prepared by Fox 5.[8] Anastos is also president of Ernie Anastos World Television, Inc. which has co-produced "New York Star of the Day", "Ernie Anastos in New York" and "Positively Ernie", which all appeared on WNYW-TV in New York.[37][38][39]

He has received 30 Emmy Awards and nominations, including the Emmy Lifetime Award and Edward R. Murrow Award for excellence in writing.[12][11]

He has been profiled in the International Who’s Who of Intellectuals.[11] A Phi Kappa Phi honouree, he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Northeastern University in Boston, where he is a member of the university board.[40][11] He has completed additional studies at Harvard Business School and holds honorary doctorate degrees from Marist College, Sacred Heart University and New York Institute of Technology.[41][42] In May 2008, he was also awarded an honorary doctorate degree from Manhattanville College.[12]

On March 21, 2017, Ernie was honoured by New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, to have March 21 named Ernie Anastos Day in New York City.[10] Other distinguished awards include; Ellis Island Medal of Honor, New Yorker of the Year Manhattan Chamber of Commerce, and a National Father of the Year Award.[43][44][45]

A Saratoga Springs, New York-based radio station WJKE.[46] The partnership, known as the Anastos Media Group, soon bought several other stations in the Capital District of New York State and later entered the eastern New England media market.[11] The daily operations of the group were handled in part by Anastos' daughter Nina.[11] Effective September 7, 2012, the stations—WABY, WQAR, WUAM and its translator W291BY, and WVKZ—were sold to Empire Broadcasting Corporation for $1.2 million.[47]

• New Yorkers in journalism

• Official website
• Ernie Anastos at IMDb
• Ernie Anastos on MyFoxNY