December 22nd, 2006 12:00am

By JESSE NOYES

Jimmy Buffett is part of a band of wealthy investors backing Plum TV, a television network for ritzy resort areas started by Nantucket Nectars founder Thomas Scott.

Buffett is just one of several investors in the venture. He joins New England Patriots [team stats] owner Robert Kraft, former Viacom chief Tom Freston, Island Records founder Chris Blackwell and Andy and Kate Spade, who founded the high-end fashion brand Kate Spade and Jack Spade.

Plum TV recently completed a $20 million round of funding and is expanding its reach into Sun Valley, Idaho, and Miami Beach. Plum TV also added distribution agreements with AOL video and TiVO broadband, and plans to boost its online presence.

The network, which is based in New York, was started in Nantucket and reaches resort areas such as Martha's Vineyard and Aspen, Colo.

"I would say this is the beginning," Scott said yesterday. "We would like to continue to add markets over the years."

Plum TV's programming includes hyper-local content such as ski and weather reports, and resort information. It also has shows like "Open Exchange," where CEOs are interviewed.

Scott said he met Jimmy Buffett in Jamaica through former music executive Kevin Law. Law is joining Plum's board of directors with Kraft’s sons David and Jonathan.

Scott said he would like to add more music content to his network's programming in the future.

Though the network is shown in resort towns, it's not meant to just appeal to rich people, Scott said. "Some people just think of it as...rich people TV," he said. "Then I say, 'Just watch it. That's not what it is.' "

"It's really about the settings,' Scott added.