Lined with Silver 12% more contingency, profit, production value or discount on that board you are pitching. They say that every cloud has a silver lining, which could not be more true for producers, clients and agencies with dollars, euros or pounds to spend given that the South African Rand has lost 12% of its exchange rate value against those major currencies, this year alone. That means that a budget available at the beginning of January will now buy 12% more production value in South Africa than it would have done at the beginning of the year. It's worth noting that since November the Rand has lost an astounding 20% of its value against major currencies, yet local production prices have remained constant. In this business it's not often you get something for nothing. As the Mail & Guardian newspaper (www.mg.co.za) reported 07.02.2008: "The currency was trading at about 7,78 against the dollar by 1.15pm on Thursday, adding another percent to this year's losses and putting it in sight of eight to the dollar - a mark last seen in mid-2003. It is more than 11% weaker on a trade-weighed basis in 2008, having lost 12% to the dollar and euro to 15-month and six-year lows respectively. The slide began in November as global risk aversion gathered pace, but has accelerated this year, driven by local factors. It has tumbled almost 20% since November 7, when it touched a then 17-and-a-half month high". VISIT OUR WEBSITE www.thenetwork.co.za The Network | Cape Town | South Africa Tel: +27 21 448 0335 | Cell: +27 82 417 8608 | Email: kim@ntwk.co.za | Web: www.thenetwork.co.za