[color=indigo]I lived in England for quite some time.
My mother would send me a TV guide in the mail, and I would highlight the regular series on the little grid in the middle and send it back. Three weeks later, I would receive VCR tapes from home filled with those TV shows (I remember Space: Above and Beyond was my favorite for a while...). We didn't get charged the tax on the TV.
You don't have to pay the TV tax on all TV's in Britain. Just the ones that receive broadcast and cable signal.
However, there is a tax on every window screen and door knob (the round variety, not the door LATCH) in/on your home, assessed per year by the local council.
Edit: If I could type I'd get a real job.