The BBC is inundated by nearly 1,000 complaints every working day, it has emerged.
The shocking figures come against the backdrop of a furious battle by the Corporation to keep details under wraps.
They lay bare the level of dissatisfaction over issues such as left-wing bias, offensive content and inaccuracy.
The shocking figures come against the backdrop of a furious battle by the Corporation to keep details under wraps
The flood of complaints means the BBC gets nearly 17 times the number sent to Ofcom about all the other TV and radio broadcasters in the UK combined.
The watchdog received 14,959 complaints in the year to October, amounting to 57 every working day.
BBC bosses have defied orders to publish regular details of complaints which would put it on an equal footing with all the other UK broadcasters.
Its refusal has angered Ofcom and campaign groups, who say the BBC must be more transparent.
Yesterday Colin Browne, chairman of lobby group Voice of the Listener and Viewer, added: ‘It is unfair on the licence feepayer that this information is not available. It’s a case of transparency.’
The volume of objections only emerged in the ‘Complaints Framework and Procedures’ section on the BBC website.
The 46-page document is effectively a guide to making complaints about programmes.
It does not specify a timeframe but reveals that the BBC gets more than a million comments and enquiries a year.
Around a quarter are from disgruntled viewers and listeners, meaning an average of 988 complaints every working day.
The Corporation would not give a breakdown but last week Ofcom chief executive Sharon White said three out of ten of the complaints it receives about the BBC centre on bias and inaccuracy.
This month, the watchdog told the Corporation to disclose almost the same level of detail about complaints as Ofcom publishes about other broadcasters.
Channel 4, ITV, Five and Sky disclose complaint numbers and have detailed information about objections to their programmes published every two weeks
Channel 4, ITV, Five and Sky disclose complaint numbers and have detailed information about objections to their programmes published every two weeks.
Ofcom also issues full details of any investigations. But the publicly funded BBC insists on keeping that information secret.
Just one figure a month is published on its website, showing the number of complaints for all programmes combined. Ofcom has said the BBC only has to publish exact numbers for programmes with 100 or more objections.
But the Corporation has defied the order, claiming it would be too expensive and time-consuming.
However, BBC bosses will have to obey Ofcom’s order if they want to avoid a major legal battle. Watchdog insiders have made it clear they are prepared to go to court over the matter.
Complaints about other broadcasters can be taken straight to Ofcom. It is the same for newspapers where readers can go to independent regulator IPSO, which routinely discloses the figures.
But complaints about the BBC must be made to the Corporation to be dealt with by bosses.
If the matter has not been resolved, it goes to the BBC board. Ofcom only gets involved if the complainant is unhappy with the board’s investigation.
A BBC spokesman said: ‘Public satisfaction remains high and while we’re already transparent about complaints and publish data every month, complaint levels are often inflated by orchestrated political campaigns.’