Maria Topalovich is stepping down as president and CEO of the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television, and will end a run of nearly 28 years when her contract expires on April 30.

‘Maria and I agreed that the timing was right,’ Academy chair Paul Gratton tells Playback Daily. ‘After 28 years of running the Academy, you don’t have anything to prove and it’s good for an organization to bring in some new blood,’ he adds. Gratton, who is also VP of entertainment specialty channels at CHUM, will take over as interim CEO until a replacement is chosen.

Topalovich is on vacation and was unavailable for comment, but said in a release that she wants to pursue personal goals. ‘The baton will be passed to new talents bringing a fresh perspective on the Academy’s essential role in the ever-changing landscape of the Canadian film and television industries.’

Topalovich, a founding member of the Academy in 1979, has seen some challenging times in recent years – chiefly, declining public interest and dwindling audiences for the Gemini Awards, Genie Awards and Prix Gémeaux.

National viewership for the Geminis, which went from CBC to Global Television in 2005, has steadily declined since the days of the 1990s, when the show drew a reported one million viewers. By comparison, roughly 200,000 Canadians have tuned in for the past two years.

‘There’s no doubt that awards shows in general, with the possible exception of the Oscars, have lost a little of their luster,’ concurs Gratton, though he maintains that Topalovich is leaving the organization in good shape.

‘The production industry has fallen on fairly hard times, and maintaining funding for a non-profit cultural institution is very difficult. We still have 4,000 members, and to maintain that level of membership commitment is a tribute to her stewardship,’ he says.

A three-member committee comprised of Gratton, Quebec chair Charles Ohayon and founding chair Ron Cohen will look for a replacement. ‘I hope to have someone in place no later than the end of summer,’ says Gratton, adding that interviews will begin in May.