Paramount Global is in talks about opening its books to a consortium of Sony Pictures and buyout firm Apollo Global Management interested in acquiring the U.S. media company, people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday. Doing so would pave the way for Apollo and Sony to firm up their $26 billion offer and challenge a rival bid from David Ellison's Skydance Media. A special committee of Paramount's board that is evaluating the company's options allowed an exclusivity period to lapse in its deal discussions with Skydance last week.