In the discussion of how to bring Internet access to homes, let’s not forget the potential of the television.

A recent study shows that Video-on-Demand (VoD) libraries and widgets will be the first generation of video services driving useage and adoption of connected television experiences in the U.S., according to international research firm Parks Associates. The firm also states consumer electronics manufacturers and service providers will benefit from higher margins and ARPU generation in providing these Web-like experiences via TV.

In its new white paper “ From Boob Tube to YouTube: Consumers and TV,” Parks Associates reports 33 percent of those surveyed are interested in widgets, and almost 50 percent are interested in premium Web content through a connected set-top box.

In addition, consumers responded favorably to enhanced interactive features and said they’re willing to pay – either on the price of a TV or as an additional subscription cost – for certain features. That means manufacturers and service providers need to supply creative, well-organized interactive services to create this new value.

At the Knight Center of Digital Excellence, we’ve seen firsthand how the TV can be transformed into a broadband-based tool. In South Korea, for example, residents in Seoul have already been using their web-connected TVs to access over 300 government services.

The TV becoming Internet/web capable isn’t just a possible benefit of broadband – it’s a definite reality. The demand is clearly there, as the Parks Associates study shows. What’s missing in many homes, however, is the broadband access that will make this kind of technology possible.

Access is the key. Without it, consumers will be left out of the next wave of consumer electronics.