The Nielsen ratings company is measuring Netflix watching to inform entertainment studios which of their shows are most popular on Netflix, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Nielsen has been promising to create such a system since last year, and now the company says it's up and running, with viewership of nearly 1,000 Netflix shows being monitored.

The system has been described as using Nielsen meters to listen for audio signals that signal when particular shows are being streamed. The system operates without Netflix's consent or cooperation.

Netflix is cagey about sharing viewing data. According to the WSJ, studios that have large deals with Netflix "have been able to negotiate for data," including streams per month and data on audience retention. But it's a far cry from traditional TV viewing ratings, where much of the basic information is made public and published in newspapers. Demographic information and per-episode views aren't given out at all, WSJ sources said.

The new Nielsen system has been belittled by Netflix execs, who note that it can't monitor usage on mobile devices, nor international viewing. Still, given the lack of Netflix viewing info currently available, even small bits of independent data will give entertainment companies better leverage during content licensing negotiations.