A radio selective calling receiver having means for receiving a message, and displaying the received message on a display section, the receiver comprising storage means 9 in which the maximum number of alphanumeric, katakana or Kanji which can be displayed on one screen of the display section in the double-width size can be stored; determination means 10 for, when a message is received, determining whether or not the number of characters in the received message is larger than the maximum number of characters stored in the storage means which can be displayed on one screen in the double-width size; determination means 11 for determining whether or not the received message contains alphanumeric or katakana characters when the determination means 10 determines that the number of characters in the received message is larger; and control means for converting alphanumeric or katakana characters in the message into the singe-width size when the determination means 11 determines that the received message contains alphanumeric or katakana characters, and displaying the alphanumeric or katakana characters on the display section in the single-width size.