PURPOSE: To select and receive a music program, etc., by counting the number of soundless periods of an souned signal, and actuating a receiving circuit based on the counted value to start retrieval for the broadcast wave.

CONSTITUTION: A received audio signal undergoes wave detection through a wave detecting circuit 2 for envelope curve and is shaped into a rectangular wave by a waveform shaping circuit 3. A one-shot multivibrator 4 produces the pulse of one time at its fall, and the number of pulses is counted by a counter 5. Then an overflow signal is generated to drive a control circuit 6 when the counted value of the number of pulses exceeds a prescribed value for each unit time, i.e., when a news program having many soundless periods is received. Then a receiving circuit 1 is detuned for selection of another station. A tuning state is maintained after receiving a music porgram containing the small number of pulses.