"The voice came from an oblong metal plaque like a dulled mirror which formed part of the surface of the right-hand wall. Winston turned a switch and the voice sank somewhat, though the words were still distinguishable. The instrument (the telescreen, it was called) could be dimmed, but there was no way of shutting it off completely" (2).
The television was relatively new when Orwell was writing 1984; the first successful electronic television was demonstrated in 1927, but owning televisions in a home did not really start until the 40's, with wide scale broadcasting only coming into being right around the time Orwell was writing this novel. Therefore, it is highly probable that Orwell, along with others, were very speculative of the television and all its abilities. The early rumors surrounding the television are most likely where Orwell drew his inspiration for idea of the telescreen, essentially a TV that can never be shut off and that acts as a window through which the room and people in it can be watched and listened to.
http://www.nyu.edu/classes/stephens/History%20of%20Television%20page.htm
solid; it is always tricky to discuss an author's intent like this -- the way you frame it works well
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