Abstract: An erasure system for magnetic information storage media is disclosed by which magnetic media, such as computer, video and audio tapes, cassettes and discs, can be thoroughly erased. The system uses high energy product permanent magnets preferably positioned so that their poles repel one another to induce "bucking magnetic fields" having lines of force active in the three spatial planes and parallel or tangential to the recorded signal track on the media being erased. The DC magnetic field thus applied causes the DC erasure of the media. The AC erasure effect comes about through the relative movement of the media through fixed magnetic fields of opposite polarity, causing the magnetic media to be subjected to a reversing polarity of magnetic saturation. The magnet configurations can be adjusted for use on helically recorded magnetic media, in addition to cross-field and conventional recording techniques.