Freddy (weather)
| Company type | Animated character |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television weather forecasting |
| Headquarters | Hong Kong , Hong Kong |
Area served | Hong Kong, United States, Australia, China |
| Products | Weather forecast animations |
Freddy is an animated meteorologist featured in a brief series that illustrates 20 different weather scenarios enhanced with sound effects. This character is currently shown during weather segments on Hong Kong's TVB. Originating from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, TVB holds licensing rights for its continual broadcast.
Appearance
Freddy is depicted wearing a yellow outfit and has a pink-toned face; his overall design has stayed mostly consistent over time.
Freddy and the weather
Through various animations, Freddy portrays daily weather conditions by actions such as melting under intense heat, opening an umbrella when it rains, freezing in cold temperatures, or being swept away by strong gusts. The animations are complemented by sound effects like rain, thunder, wind, footsteps, and Freddy’s own vocal expressions.
Other markets
Also referred to as "Freddy Forecast" or "Freddy the Forecaster," this series has been broadcast across 19 television markets in the United States, including stations like KNOE-TV (Monroe, Louisiana), KTVO (Kirksville, Missouri), and WJBF (Augusta, Georgia). Additionally, it enjoyed a long run in Perth, Australia.
In Shenzhen, China, Shenzhen Television features a comparable character set against a backdrop of the local skyline during its midday news program.
Hong Kong (TVB)
Within Hong Kong, Freddy () is featured on TVB's English channel (TVB Pearl) as well as its Chinese channel (TVB Jade) during weather forecasts. The character transitioned to computer-generated animation starting in 1993.
The backdrop showcasing the city skyline is frequently refreshed to mirror Hong Kong’s changing urban landscape, with Freddy animated to stroll atop the waters of Victoria Harbour. By January 2008, Freddy had been updated to his third iteration.
During the 1980s, Freddy’s activity of picking flowers during clear weather faced criticism for potentially encouraging property damage; this was subsequently altered in the 1990s so that he would instead be shown walking and whistling.
References
- Toon Town: the city's homegrown comics, HK Magazine No. 585. Retrieved 29 July 2005.