PURPOSE: To obtain a magnetic recording medium having excellent durability and corrosion resistance by subjecting the surface of a thin ferromagnetic metallic layer to a plasma treatment by plasma of steam then forming a protective film layer consisting of an org. compd. thereon.

CONSTITUTION: A high frequency is impressed on an electrode 21 consisting of a ferromagnetic alloy in a vacuum vessel 1 and a thin ferromagnetic metallic film layer is formed on a film 6 by performing sputtering. Steam is introduced, in succession thereto, into the segmented chamber 4 of a vacuum vessel 2 through a gas introducing pipe 22 and a high frequency is impressed on an electrode 23 to perform a plasma treatment. A prescribed org. compd. 16 set in a board 15 in the segmented chamber 5 of the vessel 2 is heated to evaporate by which vacuum evaporation is performed and a protective film layer is formed on the thin ferromagnetic metallic layer having the plasma-treated surface. Such film is blanked to a disc shape and the magnetic disc A laminated and formed successively with a thin ferromagnetic metallic film layer 24, a coating layer 25 consisting of oxide or hydroxide of a ferromagnetic metal and a protective film layer 26 on the film 6 is obtd.