A new media for the new generation.
In an era of ever-growing flow of information, it's only natural pieces are more and more condensed and visual. That's how we got here.
I disagree, I feel like this is an attempt to inject emotion and empathy into a topic that usually garners hostility. Think of the people usually reading The Wallstreet Journal: it's not anyone young you imagine, perhaps someone with terms like "commies" still in lingo from the 70s and 80s?
I read this as an attempt to humanize a group that their target audience would usually alienate. The photos help with generating those emotions.