A magnetic recording medium having good characteristics over all recording wavelength regions, comprising a non-magnetic support having thereon a magnetic layer mainly comprising a tabular ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite particle and a binder, wherein said ferromagnetic hexagonal ferrite powder is magnetically orientated in the longitudinal direction of the medium, and said magnetic layer has a glossiness in the longitudinal direction of the medium of 200% or more and at least 3% higher than that in the width direction of the medium.