ARIA Awards in Doubt

They say the show will go on, but no one is quite sure where this year’s ARIA music awards will be held, and who will broadcast the big event.

ACER Arena has hosted the show since 2001, but this year’s venue hasn’t been booked either. That has some joking that this year’s ceremony may be a very scaled back affair.

“It’s so up in the air at this stage that we’re jokingly thinking about putting a reserve booking on the Cowra Community Hall,” a senior source associated with the ARIAs told The Daily Telegraph.

Financial constraints have reportedly led to Network Ten’s contract lapsing. They have broadcast 15 of the past16 awards shows at a cost of $1 million each, on top of rights.

But an ARIA spokeswoman said she is confident they’ll find another broadcast partner.

“We’re excited about different ideas and plans for it. But we imagine they will be broadcast – but it’s still up in the air,” she said.

Industry gossip has it that the event will go to pay TV, and I for one am hoping that’s not the case. Free to air has lost the Grammys, the American Music Awards, and recent big shows like Sound Relief to pay TV. As a music fan without cable I’d be upset to miss yet another big music event.

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