Day of hope from Doc News on Vimeo.
In Europe, the TV weather reporter might be closer to the outside elements than viewers think.
Homeless people are being recruited to give the forecast on many European stations to raise awareness of those living on the street.
During the on-air stint, the homeless reporters also talk about their lives, reminding the audience that they and many others are suffering through the harshness of winter. Then they invite donations to the Days of Hope charity.
Watch above as 42-year-old Catalin performs his segment on Romania's Prima TV.
The advertising firm of Saatchi & Saatchi in Berlin launched the concept for the Days of Hope and is still in the process of encouraging stations to invite weather readers off the street to temporarily replace their on-air employees, said John Pallant, Saatchi & Saatchi's regional creative director. Germany, Russia, Poland, Switzerland and Serbia are expected to follow.
"We're hoping this will snowball," Pallant told The Huffington Post on Thursday. "We hope there will be stories here of some of these people integrated back into society."
Pallant said the media company teaming with Saatchi & Saatchi in Germany already provided food, clothing and shelter to one project participant who would appear on the air.
A homeless advocate in the United States told The Huffington Post he applauded the idea. "Putting people who are homeless in front of cameras, in dignified roles such as reading news, gives the average housed person a more positive perspective on people struggling with homelessness," Joel John Roberts, CEO of People Assisting The Homelesss, said in an email. "As long as un-housed people are not used as props, but are actually revealing the reality of street life, I support this educational effort."
Oliver Kapusta, of Saatchi & Saatchi Berlin, hatched the plan. He said in a press release that it began as a radio spot in Germany and the initiative took off from there. "This idea is an excellent example of the power of creativity," he said in the release.
Outlets such as TV Guide Canada and the French morning show "Telematin" have already picked up on the story.
Pallant told HuffPost the reception in Romania has been positive.
"Hopefully some amazing things will happen," he said.