Five things PR pros need to know Friday morning, 11.21.2014

1. T-Mobile has shaken up its PR agency roster. It’s sticking with Waggener Edstrom for various elements of its communications work, and Sard Verbinnen & Co. will continue to handle financial comms. Porter Novelli and Shift Communications are the new kids on the block. Porter is handling consumer, retail, regional, and crisis comms, while Shift is managing social media PR.

2. Despite winning the Senate earlier this month, the Republicans may have the bigger communications challenge when it comes to responding to President Barack Obama’s immigration plan, which was announced last night. Their test is to keep immigration hardliners — Rep. Michelle Bachmann (R-MN) called many immigrants "illiterate" this week — from offending Hispanic voters as they challenge the plan.

Obama’s executive order will give protection from deportation to 4.4 million undocumented immigrants, including many parents. The president called the plan "accountability — a commonsense, middle-ground approach."

Possible 2016 contenders have already weighed in. Both Hillary Rodham Clinton and Jeb Bush called on Congress to act, though they surely have different ideas about what it should do.

3. Should BuzzFeed editor Ben Smith have disclosed the stakes his website’s investors have in ride-service competitors to Uber in his Monday night scoop? He says "no," to Re/code, adding, "investment has no bearing and no influence on our reporting."

Meanwhile, BuzzFeed reported Thursday night that Uber is looking to hire opposition researchers to dig up dirt on competitive services.

4. Suspended NFL superstar Adrian Peterson has done an exclusive 90-minute interview with USA Today. The piece mostly explores his relationship with his son, and explains his point of view on the incident that led to his suspension from the Minnesota Vikings.

5. Here’s what to expect from Twitter next year, according to Mashable: faster product development, more standalone apps, and probably a few more executive exits and entrances.