A professional journalist, he is a noted columnist, writer, academic, political analyst and consultant. He is a full member of the Chilean Academy of Language and the recipient of the National Journalism Award 2021.

He was director of the newspaper La Época and Hoy magazine and dean of Journalism at the Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez. He is the author and co-author of more than fifteen books, including La Historia Oculta del Régimen Militar [Hidden History of the Military Regime] (with Manuel Salazar and Oscar Sepúlveda) and La Historia Oculta de la Transición [The Hidden History of the Transition], as well as Comunicación Estratégica [Strategic Communication], co-authored with Eugenio Tironi. He is a political columnist for the newspaper La Tercera, a panelist for Teletrece Radio and a film critic for Sábado magazine of El Mercurio.

Between October 2015 and March 1, 2017, he headed the Office of the Communications Advisor to the Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs for litigation before the International Court of Justice.

Ascanio is one of the founders of TIRONI and is currently an honorary partner. He also participates in various projects, providing a thorough analysis of the socio-political context and circumstances facing each client.