An inkjet printing apparatus includes a media transport unit to transport a print media along a print media transport path, at least one printhead assembly including an inkjet printhead having a plurality of nozzles to print on a select portion of the print media, the inkjet printhead forming a print region adjacent to the nozzles in an area between the printhead assembly and a print portion of the print media transport path, and at least one of an electrostatic discharge unit to neutralize a resulting electrical charge on at least the select portion of the print media before the at least select portion of the print media enters the print region and a neutralization unit to neutralize an electric field in the print region.