The BBC's director general, Tony Hall, has announced plans to "bring coding into every home, business and school in the UK".
It comes 30 years on from a BBC push to make computing mainstream by putting BBC Micro computers in the majority of schools.
In a speech to staff, Mr Hall said that the initiative would launch in 2015.
"We want to inspire a new generation to get creative with coding, programming and digital technology," he said.
Government and technology experts are becoming increasingly worried that vital computing skills are no longer being taught in schools.
Meanwhile interest in higher-education IT and computing courses is falling, giving rise to fears about a massive skills gap.
This term a new computer science curriculum has been introduced to schools across the UK and Education Minister Michael Gove has made it clear that he wants to see coding taught as a priority.
Ralph Rivera, director of future media at the BBC, said: "The BBC has played a hugely important role in inspiring a generation of digital and technology leaders in the past, and now it's time to reignite that creativity."
"We want to transform the nation's ability and attitude towards coding," he added.
Details of the programme were limited, but the BBC said that it would partner with government, educators and technology companies.
"From working with children and young people, to stimulating a national conversation about digital creativity, the BBC will help audiences embrace technology and get creative," the corporation said in a blog post.
A range of tools would be made available to give people "the skills to solve problems, tell stories and build new business in the digital world", it added.
Experts appearing in a video to accompany the speech, agreed that action was needed.
Martha Lane Fox, charged with getting more people online via her organisation Go on UK, said: "We are going to need a million more people who can work in the technology sector over the next 10 years. We don't have them. We've got to help to encourage people to go into that sector."
Meanwhile Stephen Fry pointed out that the UK needed more skilled computer science teachers.
"What we need is a generation of geeks who teach. Classical education used to be Ancient Greek. It should now be modern geek."