The M-type barium ferrite is doped with either Co2+-Ti4+ or Co2+-Zr4+ pairs to reduce its intrinsically high uniaxial magnetic anisotropy in order to make fine particles for magnetic recording. The magnetic parameters were investigated by magnetic measurements and the Mossbauer spectroscopy. Compounds (BaF) obtained from BaCo x (Ti,Zr) x Fe12-2xO19 with 0≤x≤1.0 have been prepared by the modified citrate method with the initial ratio of Ba:Fe equal to 1:10.8. The substitution of Co - Ti or Co - Zr for Fe3+ ions affects mainly the positions 2a and 4f2. Ba ferrite with the substitution x ≈ 0.8 is promising for perpendicular recording media applications.