An apparatus and method for receiving and displaying a television signal and a data signal in a mobile terminal. The mobile terminal includes a display unit with a video data display area and a user data display area. The mobile terminal determines in a standby mode whether it is set to a television mode or communication mode. If the mobile terminal is set to the television mode, it controls a tuner to select a desired television channel. The mobile terminal stores video data of a current frame received over the selected channel and user data corresponding to the selected channel in a memory unit, outputs video data of a previous frame stored in the memory unit to the video data display area of the display unit in a frame period and then outputs the user data stored in the memory unit to the user data display area of the display unit upon completing the output of the video data of the previous frame. In the communication mode, the mobile terminal stops the operation of the tuner and displays user data generated in the communication mode in the video data display area and user data display area.