To answer this question, take a look at Part One, Chapter One. First of all, you'll notice that it's not called a television. In Oceania, this television is, in fact, called a telescreen. Secondly, it does not have the same purpose as modern televisions. That is, it's not about providing news and entertainment to the viewers. In Winston's world, the telescreen transmits messages directly from the Party.
In addition, there is something else rather unusual...
To answer this question, take a look at Part One, Chapter One. First of all, you'll notice that it's not called a television. In Oceania, this television is, in fact, called a telescreen. Secondly, it does not have the same purpose as modern televisions. That is, it's not about providing news and entertainment to the viewers. In Winston's world, the telescreen transmits messages directly from the Party.
In addition, there is something else rather unusual about the telescreen, as Winston describes:
The instrument (the telescreen, it was called) could be dimmed, but there was no way of shutting it off completely.
The telescreen cannot be turned off for an unusual, and rather sinister, reason: the Party uses it to monitor the every moment and conversation of Party members. It is like having a CCTV camera in Winston's apartment which live streams his every move to the Inner Party members.
The telescreen is, therefore, an important tool in keeping control of the people of Oceania, which explains its unusual functions.
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