The radio industry is getting some good news regarding listenership trends. This has been brought on in part by changes in attitudes as well as ratings methodology, capturing listeners who were always there but missed (though some say the change artificially inflates the true numbers). Newer technology may be helping as well, and there just may be one more little factor behind it … the programming.

More on that later.

First, the elephant in the room: A change by ratings company Nielsen now gives credit for a quarter hour of listening, as long as a Nielsen meter holder is tuned in for just three minutes in that period, down from the previous five.

This may seem like cheating — if I have a meter, I could theoretically give credit to five stations by listening for three minutes each, which would be an artificial boost in perceived listening not reflecting reality.

But there is a problem with the meters that negates much of that: The listening must be within a quarter hour (listening for four minutes from 3:13 to 3:17, for example, is in two different quarter hours so no credit would be received). The meter can’t hear low volumes well, it cannot be used with headphones at all, and it cannot always decode the ratings signal in a noisy environment such as in a car or if you are listening to a weak station riddled with interference. In my estimation, the three-minute rule helps negate the negatives more than it artificially inflates.

The New York Post) reported back in March that Gen Z — those born between 1997 and 2012, give or take — is indeed tuning in more often than its peers, with 78% listening to traditional broadcasts each week (find the article at nypost.com, search “radio isn’t dead yet”).

Research from Britain revealed that radio across the pond is now more popular than television, mirroring some similar studies here.

What is driving this? In the case of Gen Z, which has embraced and resurrected older technologies such as vinyl albums and even cassette tapes, perhaps a bit of old radio being new again is sparking interest. I’ve seen high school kids carrying old-school portable radios and cassette players myself.

As well, the increased use of smart speakers and similar technologies has allowed easier access to radio stations that stream signals online. Indeed, the percentage of radio station stream listening continues to increase, as smart speakers and smart screens become more and more ubiquitous.

Even in-car station streaming using your smartphone or built-in dashboard apps rather than a regular tuner has its appeal, namely the lack of interference and the ability to listen even while far away from the transmitter.

But leading potential listeners to water does not make them drink, and listeners do indeed seem to be “drinking” more radio. One explanation for the increased popularity in Britain is that stations like Radio 1 have actually started embracing and programming to a younger audience, with music from new artists, younger program hosts and other lifestyle programming elements.

Such an embrace of younger listeners is happening a bit more slowly in the United States, but it is happening, including right here in Southern California. Stations are actively tailoring music to appeal to fans of music found on social media and elsewhere — not just playing new bands but “new to you” songs that members of Gen Z (and others) love.

It wasn’t older people who wanted to hear Kate Bush’s 1985 hit “Running up That Hill” a few years ago — it was younger listeners who heard it on the popular Netflix series “Stranger Things.”

And that expansion of playlists makes for a far more interesting format, as well as opening the door for new performers, the next logical step in this radio renaissance.

You’re also seeing even more emphasis on entertainment found “between the records” on all of the major stations, especially in the morning and afternoon drive times. In the case of KLOS (95.5 FM), even Sunday nights are entertaining again, with Frazer Smith back behind the microphone from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Commercial breaks are also getting more tolerable, with some stations finally realizing that super long commercial sets tend to drive listeners away. When it’s just a couple of ads per break, listeners will stay with you.

Some smaller stations across the United States are actively using listener input to guide programming decisions. One example is the great WION/Ionia, Michigan, streaming its analog AM stereo signal at i1430.com, which adds songs to the playlist based on suggestions arising from an all-request lunch program. The result is a station with perhaps the best music variety anywhere. And it’s on AM!

All of this proves that radio is still vital. I listen daily, not by force or due to this column, but because I like what I hear. Perfect? No, but like anything human, it doesn’t need to be. It just needs passion and creativity. This is a trend I can get behind.

Richard Wagoner is a San Pedro freelance columnist covering radio in Southern California. Email rwagoner@socalradiowaves.com.