Method and apparatus for selectively retaining messages received by a radio receiver based upon message content

A radio receiver (110) for processing a message including information about a sports event includes a message processing element (555) for locating, within the message, a final flag (225) indicative of a status of the sports event and a controller (515) coupled to the message processing element (555) for determining whether the final flag (225) is equivalent to a first or a second value. The controller (515) further determines that a score indicated by the message is a non-final score when the final flag (225) is equivalent to the first value and determines that the score is a final score when the final flag (225) is equivalent to the second value.