FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
1/19/2005
Contact: Richard Scott or Bryna Butler,
(740) 446-2631, 1-800-468-6682



                     OVBC ANNOUNCES STOCK REPURCHASE PROGRAM


GALLIPOLIS,  Ohio -- Ohio Valley Banc Corp. [NASDAQ: OVBC] was authorized by its
Board of Directors on January 18, 2005, to  repurchase  up to 175,000  shares of
OVBC common stock through open market and privately  negotiated  purchases.  The
timing of the  purchases,  the prices  paid and the  actual  number of shares of
common  stock  purchased  will  depend upon market  conditions  and  limitations
imposed by  applicable  federal  securities  laws.  All  shares of common  stock
purchased will be held as treasury  shares and will be available for use by OVBC
pursuant  to the  terms of  OVBC's  Dividend  Reinvestment  and  Employee  Stock
Purchase Plan as well as for other general corporate purposes.

Jeffrey  E.  Smith,  president  and chief  executive  officer,  commented,  "Our
shareholders purchased more than 46,000 shares of common stock in 2004 under the
Dividend  Reinvestment  Plan  (DRIP) and  Employee  Stock  Purchase  Plan.  This
authorization  by our Board will permit the purchase of shares,  when available,
to meet the demand for DRIP shares."

All  purchases  will be made by OVBC  between  February  16, 2005 and August 16,
2005, unless OVBC's Board of Directors extends the program. On January 18, 2005,
OVBC had 3,430,858 shares of common stock outstanding.

Ohio Valley Banc Corp.  operates three  subsidiaries:  Ohio Valley Bank, with 16
offices in Ohio and West Virginia;  Loan Central, with five offices in Ohio; and
Ohio Valley  Financial  Services.  Ohio Valley Banc Corp. stock is traded on the
NASDAQ Stock Market under the symbol OVBC.