EXHIBIT 99.1

November 14, 2008 - For immediate release
Contact:  Scott Shockey, CFO (740) 446-2631


          OHIO VALLEY BANC CORP. WILL NOT APPLY FOR FEDERAL FUNDS UNDER
                 THE U. S. TREASURY'S CAPITAL PURCHASE PROGRAM


GALLIPOLIS, OHIO - Ohio Valley Banc Corp. (NASDAQ: OVBC) (the "Company"), parent
company of The Ohio Valley Bank Company (the  "Bank"),  announced  today that it
will not apply to participate in the United States  Department of the Treasury's
Capital  Purchase  Program  (the  "CPP").   The  CPP  is  part  of  the  federal
government's Troubled Asset Relief Program approved by Congress to provide added
capital and liquidity to financial  institutions in hopes of increasing lending.
Under the CPP, a  financial  institution  holding  company can apply for federal
funds to be invested in the company, with the U. S. Treasury receiving preferred
stock with a required  dividend  of 5% per year and  warrants  convertible  into
common stock. As part of the investment  arrangement,  the company receiving the
federal funds must agree to certain  restrictions on its  operations,  including
obtaining  permission from Treasury to increase dividends on its common stock or
to  repurchase  its  shares  and  certain   restrictions  related  to  executive
compensation.  In addition, Treasury could transfer the preferred stock to third
parties, and the holder of the preferred stock would have the right to elect two
directors to the Board of Directors of the financial  institution  under certain
circumstances.

Jeffrey E. Smith,  President  and CEO of the  Company,  said,  "After  carefully
considering  the Company's  capital and liquidity and its potential  uses of the
federal funds, as well as the other  restrictions and  disadvantages  that would
accompany  participation  in the Program,  we concluded  that it was in the best
interests of the  shareholders of the Company not to participate in the Program.
Ohio  Valley  Banc Corp.  meets the  standards  to be "well  capitalized"  under
regulatory  definitions.  We believe we have  adequate  capital and liquidity at
this time to  continue  to make  loans in our  market  area in  accordance  with
prudent lending standards.  We understand that other financial  institutions may
need and benefit from the federal government's assistance, but we are able to do
our part  toward the U. S.  Government's  goal of making  loans more  available,
without the federal funds.

Forward-looking Information

Certain  statements  contained in this news release that are not  statements  of
historical fact constitute  forward-looking statements within the meaning of the
Private  Securities  Litigation  Reform Act of 1995.  Words such as  "believes,"
"anticipates,"  "expects,"  "intends,"  "targeted" and similar  expressions  are
intended to identify forward-looking  statements but are not the exclusive means
of identifying those statements.  Forward-looking  statements  involve risks and
uncertainties.  Actual results may differ materially from those predicted by the
forward-looking  statements  because of various  factors  and  possible  events,
including: (i) changes in political, economic or other factors such as inflation
rates,  recessionary or expansive trends, and taxes; (ii) competitive pressures;
(iii)  fluctuations in interest rates; (iv) the level of defaults and prepayment
on  loans  made  by  the  Company;  (v)  unanticipated  litigation,  claims,  or
assessments; (vi) fluctuations in the cost of obtaining funds to make loans; and
(vii) regulatory changes.  Forward-looking  statements speak only as of the date
on which they are made and the Company  undertakes  no  obligation to update any
forward-looking  statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date on
which the statement is made to reflect unanticipated events. See Item 1.A. "Risk
Factors" in the  Company's  Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
December  31,  2007,  and Part II, Item 1.A.  "Risk  Factors"  in the  Company's
Quarterly  Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter  ended  September  30, 2008,  for
further  discussion  of the risks  affecting the business of the Company and the
value of an investment in its shares.