A.M. fluff-fest The Today Show is going after an edgier story: the political and social situation on the island nation of Cuba. And they are taking their camera and host Matt Lauer there to report from the country next week.

Matt Lauer and NBC’s “Today” show will broadcast live from Cuba next Tuesday to report on the political and economic climate there.

Although Lauer is a frequent round-the-world traveler for “Today,” it took 18 months to arrange the visit to a country only 90 miles from the United States, said Jim Bell, the show’s executive producer. Bell used his ability to speak Spanish in the negotiations.

“It’s always timely to go to Cuba,” Bell said. “There’s always news there. Being there is news in itself.”

Somehow I don’t see Matt Lauer as the kind of hard journalist to cover this type of story, or The Today Show as being the forum for a discussion on topics like future regime change, civil liberties, communism and the embargo. You can’t with a clear conscience do a fluff piece on Cuba. But then again, Matt’s cutesy former co-host Katie Couric is hosting the CBS Evening News so I guess anything can happen.

Via / Hispanic Business