MUMBAI: US media conglomerate Viacom has decided to explore strategic alternatives to maximise the value of Famous Music, its music publishing business.

It could sell the business. The company has retained UBS Investment Bank to act as financial advisor to assist in this process.

Famous Music was founded in 1928 by Paramount Pictures' predecessor, the Famous-Lasky Corporation, to publish music from its "talking pictures". Today the firm says that it is one of the top 10 music publishers in the US, supplying music to a diversified range of global media.

Its catalogue of more than 125,000 copyrights spans seven decades and includes music from films like The Godfather, Forrest Gump and Titanic, as well as classic television shows including The Brady Bunch, Cheers and the Star Trek franchise.

Since 1992, Famous Music has moved into the mainstream of contemporary music with such platinum-plus acts as Shakira, Akon, Eminem and Busta Rhymes. Writers and producers on the Famous roster include Irv Gotti, 7 Aurelius, Linda Perry, Tia Sillers, Charlie Midnight, and Marvin Hamlisch.