Whatâ€™s Seven planning for Corby now?

Deal or no deal ... Schapelle Corby with her nephew, Mercede's son Wayan. Picture: Sunday Night, Channel Seven. Source: Supplied

CHANNEL Seven executives remain tight-lipped about whether there are still plans for a media deal with Schapelle Corby, after the Australian Federal Police dropped its proceeds of crime investigation.

The network spent an estimated $1 million to secure an interview with the convicted drug smuggler on her release in Bali last month, but had to shelve its plans when Indonesian authorities launched an investigation into whether she had breached her parole.

A decision is yet to be made.

Justice Ministry officials in Indonesia say part of their investigation revolves around who paid for her post-release stay in a luxury villa, although Channel Seven has confirmed it picked up the tab.

Indonesia's Justice Minister Amir Syamsuddin is still considering the case and has yet to make an announcement on the findings of a report he ordered.

The Minister ordered a review from the parole and corrections officials in Bali which has now been completed and sent to Jakarta.

A spokesman for Indonesia's Director-General of Corrections Ayub Suratman said the director-general had asked Bali to examine whether paying for the three-week stay in the villa constitutes payment to the Corby family.

On Friday, Channel Seven would not comment on whether an interview was completely off the agenda or would still happen if Indonesian authorities softened their stance.

"As the matter remains before the Court, we do not intend to make further comment at this stage," a Seven spokesman said.

TV insiders estimate it has cost Seven at least $250,000 to house Corby at the luxury Sentosa Seminyak villas as well as travel, accommodation and production expenses for Mike Willesee and the film crew's stay in Bali.

The legal costs associated with the AFP raid and its aftermath would likely push those expenses into the stratosphere — past $1 million.

Rubbing salt into the wound is the fact that the special Corby edition of Sunday Night was a ratings fizzer.

The March 2 show, which featured first footage of Corby after her release and an interview with sister Mercedes, averaged 1.086 million viewers across Australia's five capital cities.

Sunday Night dropped 900,000 viewers from the previous week's INXS edition and was beaten by rival 60 Minutes (1.208 million).

"The fact that they (Seven) cannot secure the interview (with Schapelle) makes this an expensive waste of time and effort," Fusion Strategy's Steve Allen says.

Rival TV networks are happy to admit they 'dodged a bullet' by not securing the Corby interview.

Mr Allen says he doesn't believe Seven's brand has been harmed despite the events of the past month including the AFP raid.

"We can all be wise with the benefit of hindsight but the fact is that someone was always going to try to do it (secure first Corby interview)," Mr Allen says.

"On this occasion, they (Seven) got no financial and only minor ratings pay-off (but) one would have to think they would be at the head of the queue (if a Schapelle interview ever goes ahead)."