Radha Subramanyam, a groundbreaking media research and analytics executive who most recently served as Chief Research and Analytics Officer at CBS, died Monday (Jan. 5) of cancer. She was 55 years old.

Before joining CBS in 2017, Subramanyam was President of Insights, Research and Data Analytics at iHeartMedia, where she led extensive research initiatives across digital and traditional radio platforms. At iHeartMedia, she developed and managed a wide range of data efforts involving digital analytics, ratings and measurement, ad sales research, mobile measurement, programming analysis, music research, campaign measurement, and marketing research. Her work helped bridge traditional radio and emerging digital platforms, providing advertisers with a deeper understanding of audience behavior.

Subramanyam joined CBS in 2017 and was promoted within 18 months. In her role, she oversaw day-to-day research operations for the CBS Television Network, including audience measurement, program and ad analytics, marketing research, and more. CBS said her “brilliance lay in translating complex metrics into meaningful insights that shaped programming and strategy.”

George Cheeks, Paramount’s Chair of TV Media, remembered her as a “true force of nature who passionately championed CBS. It would be hard to find someone who loved CBS more. Her passion for our work and her belief in the power of storytelling were contagious. She inspired us to think deeper and always strive for excellence.”

Born and raised in New Delhi, Subramanyam moved to the U.S. to attend Northwestern University, where she earned a doctorate in radio, television, and film. She later taught at Vassar College and New York University before transitioning into media research.

A seasoned research and data analytics executive, Subramanyam also held senior roles at Nielsen, Yahoo, and MTV Networks. At Nielsen, she served as Senior VP of Insights, Research and Data Analytics.

Reflecting on her career in 2021, Subramanyam said: “I’m a little bit proud of my young self. What I had was a degree of fearlessness, just jumping into the unknown without overthinking it.”

Throughout her career, she earned recognition including the National Women’s Conference’s Top Women in Business, the Tri-State Diversity Council’s Top Women Leaders of New York, Corinium’s Top Innovators in Data and Analytics, and the 2023 International Women’s Day Award at the Consulate General of India.

Subramanyam is survived by her husband, Joseph, and children Tara and River.