The present invention provides a magnetic recording medium that includes a polymeric flexible substrate and a magnetic layer coating thereon, with a binderless carbon rich layer adhered to the magnetic layer.The present invention also provides a process for the plasma deposition of the carbon rich coating onto a magnetic medium comprising the steps of:a. providing a magnetic medium in a vacuum chamber;b. generating carbon rich plasma in the vacuum chamber by injecting a plasma gas suitable to provide a carbon rich coating into an elongated hollow cathode; and providing a sufficient voltage to create and maintain plasma; and maintaining a vacuum in the vacuum chamber sufficient for the plasma; andc. exposing the magnetic medium to the plasma while the magnetic medium is influenced by a radio frequency bias electrode to accelerate the plasma towards the magnetic medium and deposit the carbon rich coating on the magnetic medium.