The BBC is to publish detailed information about the complaints it receives from viewers after Ofcom, the media regulator, demanded that the corporation become more transparent.

Under new rules the BBC will have to reveal the number of complaints it receives every fortnight, identify the shows that received more than 100 complaints, and explain the editorial issues raised by the complaints and whether they were upheld.

The move will offer an unprecedented insight into how audiences react to BBC content.

But it has prompted an angry response from the BBC, which initially fought against publishing the figures amid concerns that it would be expensive and time-consuming.

The BBC is expected to publish the first wave of information about complaints under the new system within the next few days.

BBC programmes that have attracted criticism in recent weeks include Gunpowder, a drama starring Game of Thrones star Kit Harington, which wasattacked on social media for being too violent.

ITV and Channel 4 already disclose information about complaints every two weeks, but Ofcom only began regulating the BBC this year. At present, the BBC publishes the total number of complaints it has received every month, without identifying programmes.

Ofcom had given the corporation until the end of this week to respond to its demand about publishing fortnightly data. The BBC confirmed that it had agreed and would respond to Ofcom.

In September, a senior director at Ofcom wrote to the BBC after it expressed its opposition to the plans. Kevin Bakhurst, a director at Ofcom and previously a BBC News executive, wrote a strongly-worded letter to David Jordan, director of editorial policy and standards at the BBC.

He said: “We continue to consider that the greater transparency we proposed is necessary to build and maintain public confidence in the operation of the BBC under the new framework and to provide public accountability.

“In our view, fortnightly publication is appropriate given the period within which complaints are made and most complaints are resolved by the BBC.

“We note that you say the BBC’s systems are set up to support a monthly cycle, that the information should be put to the BBC board prior to publication, and that a fortnightly cycle would bring increased resource implications to audience services, the press office and senior executives.

“However, we would not expect the resource costs to be significant since the information will be factual and we understand the BBC already monitors its complaints lists daily.

“We do not consider that the complaints data we have determined should be published is of such a nature as to require board-level sign off prior to publication.”

An Ofcom spokesperson said of the matter: “We have discussed with the BBC how it communicates TV and radio complaints with its audience in a regular, transparent manner.”