Where to for the ARIAs?

Which TV network will air the ARIAs?

Since 2002 Roving Enterprises has produced the country's annual music bash, the ARIA Awards.

But while TEN has walked away from the event due to the expense, so far there has been no word on whether they will be televised at all.

"To be honest the ARIAs were costing in the high end of $2 million, somewhere close to $3 million to produce for one night of TV," said Craig Campbell of Roving Enterprises.

"And it was sitting at about 1.2m – 1.4m viewers, so the dollars just weren't adding up."

On top of this there are also expenses incurred by ARIA organisers. "It was probably the most expensive night of TV in the country."

Aside from one inglorious Axle Whitehead moment in 2006, the production by Rove's team was deemed by the industry as a big success. It had elevated the event to the centre of the music spotlight.

"The problem was when we took it over was that artist didn't believe in the product. Winning an ARIA meant nothing to the artist. It was perceived as an industry night, a record company night, not an artist night. It was all about celebrating sales.

"But we turned it into emotion and explained to the audience what it means to win an ARIA."

The night pulled in big international names and generated a lot of press, but award shows often struggle to translate into viewers, especially for their marathon broadcasts.

Campbell recently said he wasn't sure of the future direction of the ARIAs but still has faith in the brand.

"I'd like to think it's still got a home," he said. "I don't think it's dead by any means. You've just got to reinvent it. Over the years everything gets a cutback. You've just got to look at it and go 'how would we make it different now?' And there's always a way, because if you aren't going to do it, somebody else is going to come up behind you and do it."