In actual fact the Brits don't pay a TV tax, rather it is a fee charged for receiving the signal from the state owned BBC (British Broadcasting Company), so the fee is not paid as a tax at source when the set is purchased but when it is subsequently placed in any residence (whether or not the TV is actually used), one license also covers any number of sets in the same residence. There are 2 fees, one for black and white TV's and a higher one for color sets. When I last worked over there it was about $130 per annum for the color license. The flip side is that their state channels (BBC1 and BBC2) are completely commercial free and feature excellent programmes, many of which we see over here. The BBC employ TV emission detector vans to locate homes with TV's turned on that do not show in their records as having a license, a knock on the door from the inspector is then your next unpleasant surprise. Personally I'd be glad to pay $130 a year to have channels that don't feature Piggy O'Donnell.
We may think this crazy, but the British media are currently more interested in whipping up anti gun propoganda in regards to the US following the recent spate of shootings. Basically the editorials in the London newspapers I've seen recently are saying that all Americans are gun crazy and therefore crazy as cuckoos. I suggest they mind their own business.
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A Person Is Smart
But People Are Stupid
Mike H