BROOKE GLADSTONE:  Michael Serazio's right. We do hold certain ideas of Cuba in our mind, so much so, in fact, that when you listen to Cuba coverage you'd be forgiven for thinking there's a style guide specifically for covering this country. Well, if there weren't one already, we’re making one now.

  [MUSIC UP & UNDER]

First of all, how to describe the location of Cuba? You could say a small island in the Caribbean or probably just assume that most people know where it is. But that would be to neglect the key factor of any Cuba story, mainly its relation to the United States. If only there were a way to mention the US, while cleverly juxtaposing the geographical proximity with the ideological distance.

FEMALE CORRESPONDENT:  Cuba lies just 90 miles from Miami but worlds apart.

MALE CORRESPONDENT:  The two countries that are separated by a mere 90 miles but worlds apart…

MALE CORRESPONDENT:  Countries separated by a mere 90 miles, though seemingly worlds apart.

MALE CORRESPONDENT:  Countries separated by a mere 90 miles but seemingly worlds apart.

BROOKE GLADSTONE:  Check. Now, as to covering the island itself, we’ll need to dust off our Cuba reporting glossary. Luckily, there's just a handful of words every reporter needs to know, like the magic word that describes – well, just about everything about Cuba.

  [NEWSCLIPS]:

MALE CORRESPONDENT:  But just about every traveler that I've spoken to while I've been here notices one thing, Cuba’s crumbling buildings.

MALE CORRESPONDENT:  Cuba’s crumbling infrastructure…

MALE CORRESPONDENT:  Cuba’s crumbling economy.

FEMALE CORRESPONDENT:  Cuba’s crumbling coastline, Cuba’s crumbling capital.

FEMALE CORRESPONDENT:  The longtime media blackout that’s about to crumble in Cuba, Charlie breaks that story right here.

BROOKE GLADSTONE:  And if you get tired of crumbling, mix it up with a heaping helping of decay.

FEMALE CORRESPONDENT:  …of the beauty and decay of Havana.

MALE CORRESPONDENT:  Some may see only decay and ruin here but others opportunity.

MALE CORRESPONDENT:  He’ll move among the monuments of Washington and the gleaming towers of New York, quite a difference from the decaying streets he traveled here in Cuba.

BROOKE GLADSTONE:  Why all the decay and crumbling? Because Cuba is no regular country. In fact, it doesn't even exist in the same space time continuums we do. Rather:

 [CLIPS]

FEMALE CORRESPONDENT:  Cuba is a nation frozen in time.

MALE CORRESPONDENT:  Frozen in time.

MALE CORRESPONDENT:  Frozen in time.

FEMALE CORRESPONDENT:  Frozen in time.

MALE CORRESPONDENT:  Frozen in time.

MALE CORRESPONDENT:  The closest thing to time travel.

FEMALE CORRESPONDENT:  The island frozen in time.

FEMALE CORRESPONDENT:  Stuck in a time warp, thousands of vintage American cars still rolling down the streets of Cuba.

BROOKE GLADSTONE:  Ah yes, the cars. No Cuba story is complete without a reference to their famous cars, and not just any car.

FEMALE CORRESPONDENT:  Havana is known for its vintage cars.

FEMALE CORRESPONDENT:  The massive fleets of vintage American cars.

MALE CORRESPONDENT:  Vintage cars clogging the streets and slums lining the roads.

BROOKE GLADSTONE:  Now, obviously, Cuban culture isn’t defined by only one thing. Actually, it’s defined by four things. In addition to cars, they have rum cigars.

FEMALE CORRESPONDENT:  Speaking of Cuba, rum, cigars anyone?

FEMALE CORRESPONDENT:  A new era for the US and Cuba, from politics to cigars, even rum.

MALE CORRESPONDENT:  Cuba, come for the rum and cigars, stay for the human rights abuses.

BROOKE GLADSTONE:  And, of course, music!

  [MUSIC UP & UNDER]

MALE CORRESPONDENT:  There is always plenty of action on the streets of Havana.

MALE CORRESPONDENT:  A rhythm-infused culture known for its classic cars and cigars.

MALE CORRESPONDENT:  Look past the grand colonial buildings with their crumbling columns and ceiling plaster and you’ll find the city’s beating heart.

BROOKE GLADSTONE:  All of which has made Cuba into something of a – what’s that word?

MALE CORRESPONDENT:  Cuba has been this forbidden fruit for the American traveler.

FEMALE CORRESPONDENT:  This forbidden fruit of the Caribbean was a vacationer’s paradise.

MALE CORRESPONDENT:  For years, it’s been the forbidden fruit of Caribbean travel.

MALE CORRESPONDENT:  Cuba has long been the forbidden fruit of the Caribbean.

MALE CORRESPONDENT:  History freeze-frame. [HONK]

BROOKE GLADSTONE:  Now, before you go criticizing the press, try to keep in mind they can’t help it.

MALE CORRESPONDENT:  Walking through the streets of Havana, you can’t help but get the sense of being in a bit of a time warp.

MALE CORRESPONDENT:  Well, as you walk down the streets you can’t help but notice the classic American cars, like this old Chevy.

MALE CORRESPONDENT:  When you think of Cuba, you can’t help but thinking about cigars. Cuban cigars are interrelated.

  [END CLIPS]

BROOKE GLADSTONE:  That’s almost it for our Cuba reporting style guide, except one more thing, and it's the most important point of all, how you end a piece about Cuba. Obviously, you need music but what? Something traditional sounding?

 ["GUANTANAMERA"]

But not too traditional - something catchy.

 [Orishas – “A Lo Cubano”]

But also recognizable to a non-Cuban audience, something that just screams Cuba to non-Cubans, something like – [MUSIC] Buena Vista Social Club, perfect.

 [MUSIC/MUSIC UP & UNDER]

BOB GARFIELD:  That’s it for this week show. On the Media is produced by Kimmie Regler, Meara Sharma, Alana Casanova-Burgess, Jesse Brenneman and Mythili Rao. We had more help from Dasha Lisitsina and David Conrad, and our show was edited - by Brooke. Our technical director is Jennifer Munson. Our engineers this week were Rick Kwan, Cayce Means and Casey Holford.

BROOKE GLADSTONE:  And don’t forget help from Rebecca Weiss. Katya Rogers is our executive producer. On the Media is a production of WNYC Studios. I’m Brooke Gladstone.

BOB GARFIELD:  And I’m Bob Garfield.