If you’ve watched local news in New York City for the past four decades, you’ve likely seen Kaity Tong. People search her name to learn about her path from Qingdao, China to one of the most recognized anchor desks in American local television. This article covers what’s actually confirmed about her life and career.
Background
Kaity Tong is a Chinese-born American broadcast journalist who has been a television news anchor in New York City since 1981. She has anchored at WPIX, known on air as PIX11, since 1992, where she currently anchors the station’s weekend newscasts.
Tong’s family history is part of what draws continued search interest in her name. Her great-uncle, Hollington Tong, served as a Chinese ambassador to the United States and was a well-known writer, and her mother worked in broadcasting for the Voice of America, giving journalism deep roots in her family background.
Her more than four decades in New York City television news make her one of the longest-serving anchors in the market, spanning multiple stations and formats, from evening newscasts at WABC-TV to her long run at WPIX.
Because she’s remained a steady, recognizable presence across so many years, viewers who grew up watching her in the 1980s and 1990s are often the same ones checking in on her current weekend broadcasts today.
Latest Update
As of August 19, 2026, here is what’s currently known. Kaity Tong continues to anchor PIX11 News at 5 and 10 on weekends for WPIX in New York City. There is no confirmed report of her retiring or leaving the station as of this date. Search interest in her name tends to reflect her long-standing status as a fixture of New York local news rather than any single recent story.
Quick Fact Check: No unverified health or personal-life claim about Kaity Tong should be treated as confirmed unless reported by a credible outlet. As of August 19, 2026, she remains an active weekend anchor at WPIX.
Full Profile
Family and Early Life
Tong was born July 23, 1947, in Qingdao, China. She moved to the United States with her family at age four, and her parents anglicized their names to George and Anita Tong. She grew up in the Washington, D.C. area, where her mother’s work as a broadcaster for the Voice of America and her great-uncle’s career as a diplomat and writer helped inspire her own path into journalism.
Career Path
Tong began her broadcasting career in 1976 as a reporter for KPIX-TV in San Francisco, then moved to KCRA-TV in Sacramento in 1979 as a co-anchor of the station’s evening newscasts. In 1981, she joined WABC-TV in New York City, eventually becoming a co-anchor of the station’s 5 p.m., 6 p.m., and 11 p.m. newscasts alongside partners including Tom Snyder, Ernie Anastos, and Bill Beutel.
She left WABC-TV in 1991 and joined WPIX in early 1992 as the station’s top female anchor, a role she has now held for more than three decades. She has co-anchored WPIX’s 10 p.m. newscast with a number of different partners over the years and currently anchors the station’s weekend broadcasts. Along the way, she also appeared as a news anchor character in films including Moscow on the Hudson, Wolf, and The Manchurian Candidate. She became a U.S. citizen in 1985 and has received recognition including the Exceptional Achievement Award from The Women’s Project and a Paul Harris Fellowship from Rotary International, the first woman honored with that award.
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1976 | Began career as a reporter for KPIX-TV in San Francisco |
| 1979 | Became co-anchor at KCRA-TV in Sacramento |
| 1981 | Joined WABC-TV in New York City |
| 1992 | Joined WPIX as the station’s top female anchor |
| Ongoing | Anchors PIX11 News at 5 and 10 on weekends |
Age
Tong was born July 23, 1947, making her 79 years old as of this update.
Religion
Tong’s religious affiliation has not been confirmed through a verifiable public source. This detail is unconfirmed.
Spouse/Partner
Public records indicate Tong was previously married to Robert Long, a former television news director, and later to Patrick Callahan; both marriages ended in divorce. She has one son, Philip Long.
Net Worth
There is no officially disclosed net worth figure for Kaity Tong. Estimates found on unofficial sites are unverified. This detail is unconfirmed.
Parents
Tong’s parents were George Tong and Anita Tong, who anglicized their names after the family moved to the United States; her mother worked in broadcasting for the Voice of America.
Height
Some unofficial profiles list Tong at approximately 5 feet 5 inches, though no officially confirmed figure exists, so this detail is treated as unconfirmed.
Education
Tong earned a Bachelor of Arts in English literature from Bryn Mawr College on a full scholarship, and later attended Stanford University for graduate studies in Chinese and Japanese studies.
Hometown/State of Origin
Tong was born in Qingdao, China, and grew up primarily in the Washington, D.C. area after her family moved to the United States when she was four.
Official Social Media
You can follow Kaity Tong’s public updates through her official PIX11 anchor page.
Reader Questions (FAQ)
Who is Kaity Tong?
Kaity Tong is a Chinese-born American broadcast journalist who has anchored television news in New York City since 1981, currently anchoring PIX11 News weekend broadcasts on WPIX.
How long has Kaity Tong worked at WPIX?
She joined WPIX in early 1992 as the station’s top female anchor and has remained with the station for more than three decades.
Where did Kaity Tong work before WPIX?
Before WPIX, she anchored newscasts at WABC-TV in New York City from 1981 to 1991, and earlier worked at KPIX-TV in San Francisco and KCRA-TV in Sacramento.
Where was Kaity Tong born?
She was born in Qingdao, China, on July 23, 1947, and moved to the United States with her family at age four.
Has Kaity Tong appeared in movies?
Yes, she has appeared as a news anchor character in several films, including Moscow on the Hudson, Wolf, and The Manchurian Candidate.
What awards has Kaity Tong won?
She received the Exceptional Achievement Award from The Women’s Project and was the first woman honored with a Paul Harris Fellowship from Rotary International.
Is there confirmed news about Kaity Tong retiring?
No. As of August 19, 2026, there is no confirmed report of her retiring from WPIX or the broadcasting industry.
Was Kaity Tong involved in a workplace lawsuit?
In 2010, she testified in a former news director’s age discrimination lawsuit against WPIX; Tong herself remained employed at the station throughout and after the case.
Wrap-Up
Kaity Tong’s career spans more than four decades of New York City television news, a run that includes major New York stations and a family history in journalism and diplomacy that stretches back generations. Her path from Qingdao, China to one of the most competitive media markets in the world is a distinctive one among local news anchors.
What stands out most in her public profile is consistency: the same steady on-air presence across WABC-TV and WPIX for well over forty years, even as the broader television news industry has changed dramatically around her. Personal details like her exact net worth and religious beliefs remain undocumented in reliable public sources, so this profile leaves them marked as unconfirmed rather than guessing.
Her early exposure to journalism through her mother’s work at the Voice of America, combined with the inspiration of a diplomat and writer in her extended family, offers a clear throughline for why she chose this career path in the first place.
Her longevity at WPIX also reflects the kind of trust local television stations build with audiences over decades, something that becomes increasingly rare as media consumption habits continue shifting toward streaming and digital platforms.
For her current appearances, tuning into PIX11’s weekend newscasts directly remains the most reliable way to catch her work.
John Wood is the founder and lead editor of Biography Region. He researches and writes accurate, engaging biographies of celebrities, entrepreneurs, influencers, and public figures, delivering well-sourced, reader-focused content that informs and inspires.