PR 101. Just apologize, as simply as your lawyer will let you. Don't complicate the issue, or netizens will dissect everything you say, which just drags the crisis out.

A journo should know better.

The problem is, people try to justify themselves. Real sleaze-balls probably don't care, but normal people (who may have screwed up a bit) always try to blame someone else. I would. It's bad PR though.