This paper examines the developmental background of the video "revolution" and reviews the availability and use of video in Sweden in 1981. A summary and discussion of the results of various recently published studies of video use focuses on research by Hulten and Wachtmeister (1981) and Wall and Cederblad (1981). A summary is also provided of the findings of the third wave of the Media Panel research project, a longitudinal study of video use that began in 1975 with a panel of nursery children and parents in Malmo, Sweden, and primary children and parents in Vaxjo, Sweden. A discussion of study results relates video use to the variables of age, sex, social background, video viewing, and school performance. Reasons for video use and why it is demanding such a large place in the media environment are addressed in an analysis of the realistic possibilities created by its development. Three developmental sketches discuss the changing electronic media environment from 1945-1970, 1970-1985, and 1985 and beyond. Eight references are listed. (LMM)