Is This an Acceptable Apology by NOW Magazine?

Last week, NOW Magazine writer Enzo Di Matteo made a mistake when he incorrectly assumed (and published) that city councillor and TTC Chair Adam Giambrone is gay.

When I emailed him to ask about the error, Di Matteo jokingly and curtly responded: "i meant he's happy... of course," but didn't go into any further detail or admit that he made a mistake. The media (both national giants and local indie outlets) ran with it. Fast-forward one week...

In this week's edition of NOW Magazine (and rather than making a straightforward, genuine apology), Di Matteo seems to pass the buck by writing a lengthy rebuttal in which he pokes at "the (predominantly conservative) media['s decision] to turn it into fodder for the day."

The words "sorry" or "apology" or "regret" appear nowhere in his follow-up.

How do you feel about Di Matteo's handling of the situation? Is this an acceptable apology? Is an apology even necessary?