A receiving method comprising the steps of: causing an amplification section to amplify a received signal which includes a digital broadcast signal; mixing the received signal thus amplified with a selective frequency signal so as to acquire an intermediate frequency signal; demodulating the intermediate frequency signal so as to acquire a demodulated signal of the digital broadcast signal; controlling the amplification factor of the amplification section in a manner bringing to a target level the signal level of the intermediate frequency signal; and setting variably the target level in accordance with bit error status of the demodulated signal derived from the digital broadcast signal characterized in that the variably setting of the target level for determining the detected signal level, carried out by a control function unit of a distortion detection section or by a control section for controlling the entire receiving apparatus is performed by the following steps: establishing the initial value "init" of the target level "OLD" and initializing the value "n" in which the "OLD" set value will be shifted; setting the initial value "init" as the target level "OLD"; ascertaining the bit error rate, BER, of a demodulation section in the current state whether the BER is greater than a certain threshold value; in the case of "NO" start again; in the case of "YES" set "OLD=init-n" and change the amplification factor accordingly; request if BER > threshold value; in the case of "NO" start again; in the case of "YES" set "OLD=init+n" and change the amplification factor accordingly; request if BER > threshold value; in the case of "NO" start again; in the case of "YES" set "n=n+1" and change the amplification factor accordingly; request if Max > n; in the case of "YES" start again; in the case of "NO" end of optimization of value "OLD" with "OLD=init", wherein the value "Max" stands for the maximum amount in which the set value of the target level OLD may be shifted. causing an amplification section to amplify a received signal which includes a digital broadcast signal; mixing the received signal thus amplified with a selective frequency signal so as to acquire an intermediate frequency signal; demodulating the intermediate frequency signal so as to acquire a demodulated signal of the digital broadcast signal; controlling the amplification factor of the amplification section in a manner bringing to a target level the signal level of the intermediate frequency signal; and setting variably the target level in accordance with bit error status of the demodulated signal derived from the digital broadcast signal establishing the initial value "init" of the target level "OLD" and initializing the value "n" in which the "OLD" set value will be shifted; setting the initial value "init" as the target level "OLD"; ascertaining the bit error rate, BER, of a demodulation section in the current state whether the BER is greater than a certain threshold value; in the case of "NO" start again; in the case of "YES" set "OLD=init-n" and change the amplification factor accordingly; request if BER > threshold value; in the case of "NO" start again; in the case of "YES" set "OLD=init+n" and change the amplification factor accordingly; request if BER > threshold value; in the case of "NO" start again; in the case of "YES" set "n=n+1" and change the amplification factor accordingly; request if Max > n; in the case of "YES" start again; in the case of "NO" end of optimization of value "OLD" with "OLD=init", wherein the value "Max" stands for the maximum amount in which the set value of the target level OLD may be shifted. in the case of "NO" start again; in the case of "YES" set "OLD=init-n" and change the amplification factor accordingly; request if BER > threshold value; in the case of "NO" start again; in the case of "YES" set "OLD=init+n" and change the amplification factor accordingly; request if BER > threshold value; in the case of "NO" start again; in the case of "YES" set "n=n+1" and change the amplification factor accordingly; request if Max > n; in the case of "YES" start again; in the case of "NO" end of optimization of value "OLD" with "OLD=init", wherein the value "Max" stands for the maximum amount in which the set value of the target level OLD may be shifted.