Just after announcing the creation of the DigitalPlus unit to bring together information across divisions, Nielsen has partnered with DirecTV to study the use of interactive TV by viewers, reports MediaWeek.

The study will draw data from 300,000 subscribers of DirecTV's interactive services. Participants must actively choose to take part in the study.

As interactive television usage rises in the U.S., providers are looking for how it's actually being used as they attempt to find advertising and other monetization methods that best suit the service.

erinMedia, a would-be competitor of Nielsen in the ratings business, has said the announcement of the DigitalPlus unit was timed to interfere with ratings deals it was about to close. The company has threatened legal action against Nielsen.