CHULA VISTA – Southwestern College journalism professor Max Branscomb received this year's lifetime achievement award from the San Diego chapter of the California Chicano News Media Association.

Branscomb has worked as a newspaper reporter, magazine writer, radio newscaster, television producer, kindergarten through 12th-grade educator, public relations professional, playwright, director, actor and college professor.

Branscomb, 50, of Bonita, began his professional journalism career at 14 as a reporter for the Bonita Post.

He is the faculty adviser for the Southwestern Sun  student newspaper, three-time winner of the Associated Collegiate Press Pacemaker Award, the Pulitzer Prize of college media.

Branscomb has had more than 70 of his original plays and musicals produced.

He is co-founder of the multicultural theater company, Teatro Mascara Magica. His Mexican-flavored Christmas musicals have played to sold-out audiences at San Diego Old Globe Theatre and San Diego Repertory Theatre since 1993.

He also is co-founding artistic director of the Bonitafest Melodrama, a 31-year-old theater performance that highlights the Bonitafest community celebration.

His play “The Journey of the Skeletons,” in which the Mexican Day of the Dead tradition is a central theme, was produced at the 2000 Olympic Arts Festival in Sydney, Australia.

The California Chicano News Media Association aims to promote diversity in news organizations through scholarships and educational programs for aspiring Latino journalists. It also strives to foster accurate portrayals of Latinos in news reports.

The association honored Branscomb last night as part of its annual journalism awards ceremony at The San Diego Union-Tribune building in Mission Valley.

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Chris Moran: (619) 498-6637; chris.moran@uniontrib.com