Members of Paramount Global (NasdaqGS:PARA)?s board agreed to enter exclusive merger discussions with Skydance (Skydance Productions, LLC), favoring it over a recent $26 billion all-cash offer from private-equity firm Apollo Global Management Inc. (NYSE:APO). The move means the entertainment conglomerate is putting on pause any conversations with other bidders for 30 days while it tries to work out a deal with Skydance, a production company led by David Ellison, people familiar with the matter said.