I'm close to someone in the industry, but honestly you don't have to be to see the decline if you look for it.
I worked at InfoWorld when InfoWorld was still a print pub. The print side died when I was working there, and we were the 1st IDG pub to go full online-only. It was rough, to say the least. I don't envy the small core team that will stay behind. the print pub often over-inflated the value of the online offering. Once that piece is lobbed off, the remaining team eventually gets whittled down to a skeleton crew. It can be profitable, but margins are thin and cost-cutting is everywhere.
All good things for any business to do, but it can also be a massive change in culture and morale.
I also worked at AFAR, the travel pub. Getting online mags to profitability is no easy task. And print mags can cost a fortune. When print ad dollars go elsewhere... well, you can see what's going on.
That being said, 'Self' magazine was hardly news. It's the kind of self-help mag often found in doctors' offices, and maybe shoved into a purse for a quick flight somewhere.
It's sad for the employees involved and a few die-hard readers, but not a massive loss.
EDIT: My wife is a subscriber, and typically reads it while lying in bed one night out of the month.