This invention provides a process for making titanium dioxide pigment, wherein an aqueous slurry of hydrous oxide surface-treated TiO.sub.2 particles is subjected to media milling. The TiO.sub.2 particles are surface-treated with a coating comprising a hydrous oxide such as silica and/or alumina, and the slurry is filtered prior to media milling. The milled slurry is dried and the dried product is fluid-energy milled to produce TiO.sub.2 pigment having good particle size distribution. The TiO.sub.2 pigments may be used to make coating formulations having high gloss.