Does watching magic shows on television fall under the warning mentioned in the Hadith: "Whoever goes to a soothsayer, his prayer will not be accepted for forty days"?

It is not permissible to intentionally watch magic, as it is an affirmation of falsehood, a رضا (acceptance) of it, and an encouragement for it, whether the viewing is direct or via television. There is no difference in the prohibition between the two, because the acceptance of magic and the temptation by it are present in both cases. However, watching it on television is not like going to a soothsayer or a magician. Watching magic programs with the intention of learning is even more forbidden, in accordance with the Almighty's saying concerning Harut and Marut: "And they would not teach anyone until they had said, 'We are only a trial, so do not disbelieve [by practicing magic].'" (Al-Baqarah: 102).