Radio Pranksters Get Death Threats, Bodyguards

The Australian radio station involved in the prank call to Kate Middleton's hospital has hired 24-hour bodyguard protection, after getting a number of death threats. About a dozen Southern Cross Austero staffers have been forced to move into hotels, and as many as 10 executives have been assigned personal protection, at a cost of around $75,000 a week, News.com.au reports. Police are looking into the threats, the latest of which arrived in the mail yesterday and specifically named host Michael Christian.

The letter told Christian that there were "bullets out there with your name on it (sic)." Police are also watching social media for other threats. But death threats may be the least of the station's worries; the Australian Communications and Media Authority has fast-tracked an investigation into the incident that could see SCA lose its radio license. It's not the first time SCA has been embroiled in scandal over a controversial segment, and the regulator may decide that it has a "poor compliance culture." (More Australia stories.)